Something Real
by Sapphire-Mirror
Summary: One shy girl plus a naughty and cocky boy,multiply it with the biggest school play of the century equals sheer chaos!Add the fact that they are enemies & you have the perfect formula for love to blossom in the most unexpected of all places. AKK
1. first day of the rest of your life

_It's not like I hate my life coz I don't! _Not really, not anymore than the next person that is. Personally, life's a bitch but I get by. Nothing is too unbearable that would ultimately force me to pull that trigger. Besides, it's too messy that way. I don't like blood, it's smelly and I don't like the color of red so that doesn't help things either. Ultimately, it's a good thing I don't like blood because if I became tolerant of that icky stuff then I wouldn't have any hesitation running that blade over my pale, bony wrists years ago.

_Lovely thoughts from a teenager, isn't it? _

I must have stared at my reflection in the mirror for the hundredth time that morning. I could hear my mom bellowing downstairs for me to hurry up and eat my breakfast. I shouted back that I'm coming even if in truth I'm not. People tend to do that but I do it more often than normal people.

I went back to my reflection and stared again. I'm not a vain person, mind you. It would be foolish to do so because vain people are usually good-looking little prats with noses that are perpetually sticking up in the air because they know how gorgeous they are. I'm not good looking, heck I don't even know if I'm worth looking at all.

I'm staring at my image against the mirror because of one, simple thing_- I hate my face! _I don't understand why other girls my age could have a perfect skin, perfect hair, perfect smile and perfect body while I get stuck with the complete opposite of those traits! I have sickly-pale complexion. My hair would never obey the strokes of the hairbrush. I can't smile without showing a strip of railroad tracks plastered on my front teeth. And my body is a certified first-placer in Ms. Broomstick pageant, four years running.

"Kaoru!" my mom screeched in a warning tone. I rolled my eyes and hollered, "Coming!"

I sighed and finally went downstairs. The smell of waffles and hot chocolate did strange things to my stomach and my nose instinctively followed the scent towards the kitchen. My mom looked up from the stove and frowned at my hair. "You should really think of letting your hair down Kaoru, you look like an old maid!"

I unconsciously tugged at the ends of my ponytail and retorted defensively, "They're okay mom! I don't want them to get wind-blown. Besides, you know that my hair tends to get really messy when I let it down."

"And another thing," my mother was in front of me as she handed the waffles and poured me some hot chocolate in my mug. "Those clothes really don't become you! I'm willing to give you money for new clothes as long as you get rid off those-"

"Mom!" I gritted my teeth. "My clothes are okay! Stop trying to change me!"

I looked down at my conservative, pristine-white skirt that reached below my knees and the plain-blue, button-up blouse that I was wearing. I don't see anything wrong or distasteful about my choice of wardrobe that's why I can't understand why my mother hated it so much.

"It's just that you'd be prettier if only you know how to dress right," she sighed to which I snorted sarcastically as I drank my hot chocolate. _She knows as well as I do that I could never be pretty! _She brushed her hands to her own luxurious crown of wavy, russet curls in exasperation. Her sophisticated eyebrow was raised as she scanned my body up and down with those beautiful pair of sea-green eyes. She smoothed down the skirt of her cream-colored, tailored suit before finally facing away.

I know how much of a fashion disappointment I am to her. Imagine, a fashion designer having a daughter who spells STYLE DISASTER with a capital S and D. My mom was everything I'm not, either when she was still young or as she is now. She's always had been beautiful and popular.

I quelled down my own insecurities with a vengeful bite on my waffle. After I'm finished I asked my mom if she knows where my glasses were. Mrs. Kamiya frowned even more as she pointed to the case on top of the fireplace in the den.

That's also another thing my mother and I argue about a lot. Because she's a working mother and there's only the two of us that she has to support, she assured me that she could afford to buy me contacts. But I adamantly refused. She told me that glasses are so old fashioned but I remained stubborn.

I put my glasses on and waved goodbye to my mother. She offered to drive me to school but I refused. _Can you imagine a seventeen-year-old girl still being driven by her parent to school?_ That is what you'd call social suicide even though my social life already died long ago!

I walked towards the bus stop and waited. I looked down at the pavement below me and counted the indentations on the concrete slab to pass the time. I wasn't even halfway to counting them all when I realized how pathetic that was and decided to just wait and do nothing.

Thunder rumbled overhead and I took my black umbrella out of my bag. Just in time, the rain started to fall in angry torrents. This time of the year in Japan always bring the worst weather at the worst times.

But I didn't mind the rain. In fact I loved it, loved the way it hid me from the rest of the world in those watery curtains. I let myself be fascinated by each drop that fell from the tips of my umbrella.

I guess I must be so engrossed with watching the raindrops that I didn't hear the car that was fast approaching my side of the road. To my horror, the red mustang sped by me, sending a shower of mud in my direction.

"Aaahhh," I couldn't use my umbrella to protect me in time. Splatters of mud tainted me from my pristine skirt and up to the very bangs of my hair. My eyelids were closed to save my eyes from the dirt and when I opened them, I felt like screaming again.

Angrily, I turned to the car that stopped only a few feet away when the driver realized what happened. The window on the driver's side rolled down and the obscenities that I was about to utter was cut short when I realized who the jerk was that ruined my dress and my day.

A familiar redhead peeked out from the window. His mischievous lavender eyes smirked at me and his teasing, sensual lips curved to form a haughty smile, "Whoops!"

My cheeks flamed red when I realized how ridiculous I looked. What made the situation even worse is the fact that I looked silly in front of my sworn childhood enemy- Kenshin Himura!

As usual, though I was shaking with anger and indignation, I have to restrain my tongue from lashing out_. Really, what could you say against the most popular guy in Seirin High without getting a posse of his adoring fans hungry for your blood?_ Besides, nothing bothers someone as thickheaded as Kenshin Himura was.

_It's probably because of the fact that he knew he was great and no one could ever attest otherwise._

So like always, like the ugly, timid, defenseless, stupid little girl I always had been for so many years- I remained silent. I faced away from him and begged to God that this ordeal would be quick and I would not end up crying like last time.

I don't know what Himura's beef with me. We knew each other since our baby daycare center days and even back then he always had been a monster to me. He always kept the best crayons and art materials. He scared the wits out of me by dropping the occasional spider down my collar. He even went as far as putting a dead bug inside my sandwich and I knew he got an earful from his mom when our nursery teacher reported the act.

It continued to our elementary and junior high days. He graduated from the insect-in-the-sandwich trick to something more mature but nothing less painful. He would play dirty tricks like tripping me in the hallways and lots of other pranks like that. He seduced all the female partners I ever had in my school projects so I'd end up frantically beating the deadline and had to resort to working alone. If my partner was a male, he'd buddy up with the guy and ultimately entice him away from me and the project at hand_. Oh I could go on and on about the evil things Kenshin has done to me in the last thirteen to fourteen years that we have known each other._

And for the most part I have learned to accept it as part of my pathetic life. I could never stand up to Mr. Popularity Kenshin Himura- heck I can't even defend myself from a spider, a class bully or my abusive dad so what made me think that I can start fighting someone like Kenshin?

I thought there was nothing he can do to hurt me anymore. I have grown accustomed to every torture he could subject me to. I went so far as to even think that I'm numb to the pain now…

_But I was wrong… _

I saw a familiar pretty face get out of his car. Her beautiful eyes and caring lips formed a worried line on her face. Tomoe Yukishiro opened her own pink umbrella and went up to me and directed an ugly look towards her boyfriend. "You're so immature!" she spat out at Kenshin. She took a handkerchief from the pocket of her form-fitting jeans and wiped the mud off my face, "Oh Kaoru I'm so sorry. It's was an accident and I'm sure he didn't mean it and-"

"I'm okay," I avoided her hand. My heart squeezed at the fact that she was defending him again like always. The man could probably run me over and Tomoe would still say that 'it was an accident'.

She looked hurt with my evasive motions. At this, I felt a surge of anger bubble inside me_. How dare she give me that betrayed look when she was the one who turned her back on me!_

Tomoe Yukishiro, Seirin High's most popular girl: beautiful, smart, graceful- you name it she got it! She's very nice so she's everyone's friend…and she happened to be my only friend…_my bestfriend._

We were friends since we were babies. Our mothers were bestfriends and naturally so are we. She was the only one who understood me, who comforted me and who was there for me especially during the dark period of my parent's separation and court battles_. She was not just my friend, she was my sister…_

_And then he came! _

I knew even back then that Tomoe had a crush on Kenshin. Unfortunately for her, even though she is considered as one of the most popular and most beautiful girls in our school, he was never interested in her. Tomoe nursed her love for him day by day even though she knew how badly he treated me. I didn't take this against her because I know it's not her fault that she fell for him. It's really hard not to fall for those lovely violet eyes, those teasing lips and sexy grin.- and don't forget that super-model physique of his! _So no, I can't blame Tomoe for being attracted to him…_

Besides, her infatuation on my nemesis didn't bother me because I know Kenshin would never have anything to do with the people who are close to me. So I was confident that he'd never take my bestfriend.

_Until last year… _

Tomoe and I were walking towards the school; we used to take the bus together. We were laughing and joking around but just before Tomoe entered our classroom I saw Kenshin across the hallway looking at us so intently. He pushed himself away from the wall where he was leaning to and walked towards me.

My blood ran cold and I prepared myself for his assault. I purposely even lagged behind and didn't enter the classroom right aftermy friend because I didn't want Tomoe to see whatever Kenshin is going to do to me.

With a determined look I asked him, "What?" when he was near enough. I tried to make my voice sound calm but as usual it came out as a squeak. I tried looking at him directly in the eye but was unable to take the intensity in those lavender eyes so I directed my gaze to the floor instead.

He smirked at this, then nudged his head towards the classroom door, "Friend of yours?"

"Only for the last sixteen years," I wanted to strike back but managed only a weak nod_. God, I was so pathetic!_

"Pretty one you have there," he whistled. "You two are seeing each other?"

His voice was composed but it shocked me to no end, even up to this day, that he had the gall to ask such a malicious question. "No!" I shook my head vigorously, blushing furiously. "She's my bestfriend!"

"Oh? You two always looked so close and are always together that I just thought…" he shrugged and didn't bother to finish his sentence. "Well that's a relief…"

"Why?" I suddenly turned suspicious. "Does it matter to you if I'm seeing her or not?" I was amazed by the boldness in my voice. This is the first time that he expressed concern about me and I was quickly on guard on what he's planning. He seemed surprised by my question and looked equally confused for a while, probably not sure himself why he even cared if I have a relationship with Tomoe or not.

After a few seconds he finally replied, "It matters to me."

"Why?"

I held my breath as I waited for his answer.

After a while he finally voiced out his reason, "Because I want to ask her out."

_My friendship with Tomoe had never been the same ever since then… _

My mind didn't let me go deeper into history because Kenshin honked at Tomoe to return to the car. "Maybe you should come along with us since we're all headed to school," she offered.

"No way! She's dripping wet!" he quickly interjected. This only earned him a look of disgust from his girlfriend. "Please Kaoru?" she returned her imploring look on me.

But I have no plans of being the third wheel. Tomoe desperately tried to make us the three musketeers as soon as they started dating but Kenshin and I both told her that it would never happen and it would never work.

"Forget it," I told her with a little edge in my voice. "You two go ahead. I still have to change my clothes anyway."

"But-"

"You heard her? Let's go!" Kenshin blared the car horn to signal his impatience. Tomoe sighed wearily and gave me one, last, beseeching look, "You sure? But you'll be late. I could always just lend you the dress I have in my locker you know…"

"My mom can drive me."

She sensed the finality in my voice and sighed once more. She went back towards the car and eyed me with uncertainty. I nodded grimly and they finally left.

As I watched the car disappear in the distance, it was only then that I freed my tears of pain and anger. Kenshin took the most important person from me…and for that I knew that we would never resolve our differences. We will always be enemies…

_Until the very end!_

* * *

"What did my friend ever do to you to treat her this way!" 

Kenshin exhaled heavily as he turned to the last corner before they arrive to Seirin High School. "Hon, let's not fight because of her…"

"We're fighting because of you!" the serenity was gone from Tomoe's usually placid voice. "I'm not as blind as Kaoru thinks I am! I know how much you torture her ever since we were kids!"

"And still you loved me," he tried to sweet-talk his way out of this one. Without averting his eyes from the road, his right hand reached for her soft palm and squeezed it lovingly.

"Don't change the subject," she jerked her hand back. Kenshin finally lost his own temper and muttered, "We fight over the same thing everyday!"

"Because you refuse to grow up!" she managed to keep her tone even. "I love you Kenshin, yes. But please stop making me choose between you and my bestfriend!"

"I'm not forcing you to choose," he corrected her in a low voice. "It's not my fault if we don't get along…"

"But why? I never stopped asking that question in the last fourteen years that the three of us knew each other. Why Kenshin? Why do you hate Kaoru?"

Strangely, he avoided her inquiry and pulled up to the last parking lot space. "When can I see you?" he cooed sweetly instead as he embraced her in the car.

Tomoe rolled her eyes and smiled up at him, momentarily forgetting her own anger, "Cheerleading practice won't be over until 9. The inter-school competitions is only three days from now, remember?"

He groaned and murmured in her ear, "We haven't been spending enough time together lately…"

"Then let's make up for the lost time," she giggled breathlessly to his hair. He caressed her cheeks and lowered his head to seal her lips.

_It never fails. Tomoe always never notice that he didn't answer that longtime question of hers- again!_

* * *

_Everyone has the right to dream… _

I wasn't completely truthful to Tomoe. I did return to my house but I knew my momprobably left already so I wasn't able to get a ride to school. That suits me just fine because I never really planned to take my mom up on that ride offer.

So I was late, plain and simple. And I didn't feel like facing Mr. Amakusa's lecture about the evils of tardiness so I decided to skip my first period altogether.

_Aaahhh, the things Kenshin make me do…_ If Tomoe knew that I skipped class she would have a fit. 

But Tomoe is not a part of my life anymore. Not since she chose her boyfriend over me. She chose love over a lifetime of friendship…

_I really wish I wasn't squeamish with blood, and then I could finally end this needless suffering. _

I rolled up the left sleeve of my sky-blue turtleneck sweater and looked at my pale wrists. I was so thin and pale that maybe if I decided to slash it right here, right now maybe there won't be too much blood? I could hope right?

I don't really hate my life- it's just too tiring sometimes. And when I'm tired I always resort to sleeping. The eternal sleep sounded really good right about now…

I passed by the bulletin board while in a thoughtful stroll and one notice was able to catch my attention. I retraced my steps and read the pink banner. Wait! Pink! (s_hudder_). But let's not start about my hatred for pink. My eyes scanned the words with interest (amidst my repulsion over the pink paper) and at the end of the document I was breathless with anticipation.

The famous Japanese director Shishio Makoto from 'The Royal Shakespeare Company' (a prestigious theater-acting school) would be one of the special guests in this year's school play. Seirin High used to be his Alma Mater and he was going to pay a visit and see the upcoming talents in our own school!

Have I ever mentioned that I wanted to be a great stage actress ever since I was a kid? And no, not a Hollywood or showbiz actress or that kind of bull! I love acting as an art and not as a pedestal for the social ladder! I was always a member of the school drama club and upon reading the article I realized that this might be the big break I've always prayed for!

_Everyone has the right to dream… _

I grabbed the paper from the bulletin board and held it close to my face to read the words more carefully. After a while I hugged the paper to my chest and my eyes shone with hope. Auditions will start this afternoon after school hours._ Plenty of time to psyche myself up!_

I returned the notice back to bulletin board and pinned it there securely. After that, I bolted towards the nearest comfort room where I plan to spend the next forty minutes left from my first period to practice a bit. Around this time I know that the loo is probably empty so I'd have the whole place to myself before I go to my next period.

_Oh this is going to be the start! _

* * *

Class had always been boring to Kenshin. And unfortunately for him, first period seemed to drag on endlessly today because he can't divert his attention to something more entertaining. 

For the umpteenth time in the last half-hour, he glanced angrily at Kaoru's empty seat that was just right in front of him._ How dare she not show up today and provide him with some amusement when Mr. Amakusa is at his dullest today!_

He's quite adept in annoying her in more ways than one. And he'd laugh openly at her face whenever she colored vividly out of embarrassment. He'd taunt her endlessly, just to see if she'd ever try to fight back- but without success.

He's not a cruel person really, many people even like his personality.

But he himself couldn't understand why everything about him changes the moment Kaoru enters the scene. He always acted without hesitation or remorse and he always managed to push his guilt at the back of his mind so as not to let it bother him with his merrymaking. Only when Kaoru is in tears or near tears would he stop.

_The girl has no backbone whatsoever! It was so pathetic!_ Other people would have finally snapped after all the years of torture he instigated upon her but Kaoru never rose to the challenge. She would either respond by blushing furiously or with choked tears. But instead of feeling pity for her, he got even more disgusted thus he persecuted her even more.

_He'd like to think he's toughening her up but… _

Out of the blue, he remembered the times when he stared at Kaoru's back without actually thinking about how he's going to make her suffer. In fact, he recalled how he'd sometimes just sit there and stare at her nape in a daze. _God, he was never interested with other people's napes! _So why is he feeling this way whenever Kaoru parted her hair to the side, thus exposing a flash of her well-covered skin.

He shook his head, revolted_. This is what boredom does to him!_ It makes him think and remember stupid things! Kenshin decided that a quick trip to the donnicker would do him some good.

It wasn't easy to escape Shogo Amakusa's class, especially when he's feeling extra chatty about world history. Finally, Kenshin was able to go out on the condition that when he comes back to the classroom he will give his own interpretation about the Warsaw pact that happened around the timeline of World War II.

_Damn! _

Kenshin was seething with anger so he almost missed the familiar spectacled face that was standing a few meters away from him. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Kaoru across the hallway, hugging a piece of pink paper to her chest. After that, she returned the paper to the bulletin board and made a mad dash towards the girl's powder room.

Thoroughly curious, he approached the bulletin board and ripped the notice from the thumbtacks and read the banner quickly.

**"Audition for the main characters in this year's school play to be held this afternoon, 3:00 PM at the auditorium."**

* * *

**_A/N: Hey guys so how's that for the first chapter? I know you people must be asking why I'm making a new fic when I haven't finished my first two other stories yet. But the idea for this fic kept nagging at me for quite some time now and I couldn't fight it anymore. I hope the people who are reading the stories "Love by Mistake" and "Love for Sale" would like this new story of mine as much as they loved my two othercreations._**

**_Anyway, so what do you think? Quite a change I made to Kaoru's character don't you think? In my two other fics, I always depicted her as a headstrong, independent girl. But here she's the complete opposite. Kaoru's a bit suicidal and more than just a little neurotic, ne? Please give it time though, because I'm still experimenting with the characters here._**

**_Kenshin's also not the usual naughty-but-really-nice-deep-down-inside kind of guy here unlike in my other stories. Here, he's a downright asshole. But then again, their traits are still under further testing so you'll never know. I hope that you people would still give this fic of mine a chance…_**

**_Notice that I used the name of the school in "Great Teacher Onizuka" as Kenshin and Kaoru's school? As for the "The Royal Shakespeare Company" it's just made up okay? I've heard it somewhere though... Well if anyone can educate me further about this "Company" then please feel free to do so. It will be very much esteemed!_**

_**Anyway, can't think of anything more to say aside from: Thanks to those who'll read this! Reactions would be greatly appreciated! Until then, ciao, ciao!**_


	2. looking forward to the month ahead

_She could kill him! Why not?_

Kaoru crumpled the piece of paper in her fist tightly, agitatedly, angrily as she looked at the man sitting across her. Kenshin raised his left leg to prop it up on his right knee while coolly looking at her. Her anger didn't faze him a bit. It even delighted him to see such a reaction from the usually docile Kaoru Kamiya. _He didn't expect that such fire in her eyes suited her so well..._

Mr. Okina closed the file cabinet after taking a bunch of papers from within the metal depths. He was frowning as he sat and leaned back on his swivel chair while looking across the mahogany table at the two teenagers.

_What a shame_, the old man thought._ These two have such potential but now he has to sack them both..._

"Well since you cannot provide me with the reason for this obvious animosity," the drama teacher started as he shuffled the papers. "You know I have no choice but to..." he trailed off.

Kaoru swallowed hard perceptibly. Kenshin raised an eyebrow when he noticed that the girl was shredding the piece of paper in her hands in such an obvious sign of anxiety_. She even looked like she was ready to cry._

"Please sir," the girl took off her glasses because it misted a bit and rubbed the surface with a piece of cloth that she took out from her pocket. "Before you come to any rash decision...I beg you to consider it carefully." She returned the pair to perch on the bridge of her small, timid nose; but the reddening of her eyes clearly told them that it will only be a matter of time before she removes it to clean it again. "This play means so much to me..."

Mr. Okina felt sorry for the girl, and for a split second decided not to go through with what he was about to say. But he knew in his heart that to be wavered by a woman's tears is not always a good way to overcome a problem. "I'm sure it is Ms. Kamiya. I have seen you work and I know how much you put your heart to the art of acting. You have been such an indispensable member of the Thespian Society of Seirin High for all the help and dedication you've given in the years...and for that I will be eternally thankful-"

"And yet you're going to remove me from the part, right?" she interrupted. Kaoru's beautiful sapphire eyes began to water but she blinked it back.

The old man sighed, wishing he was not the one obligated to do this. "You must understand Ms. Kamiya, you and Mr. Himura acted unprofessionally earlier and it was gravely unanticipated- especially from you! Honestly, I never expected that my two lead actors who are supposed to act in a role of two star-crossed lovers would cause so much chaos when they're only being instructed to embrace each other!" Mr. Okina didn't mean to sound livid at the last sentence but the memory of the trouble these two teenagers had put him through previously frustrated him to no end even up to that moment.

Kaoru wrung her hands on her lap and bowed her head in shame over the director's words. Kenshin's reaction was a different matter though. He was silent throughout the ordeal for he felt no remorse about what happened earlier. The way he and Kaoru bickered when they were being forced to hug on the first act was nothing to him. It was what he intended to do right from the very start_- to irritate the cobalt-eyed girl!_ When he auditioned for that play two days ago, he didn't expect to be chosen for the lead. He just wanted a part_, any part_, so that he can always be there and torture the Kamiya twerp.

_He didn't expect that he would be cast for the role of this girl's lover!_

"...So you understand why I must relieve both of you from your roles," Mr. Okina finished his long drawl without Ken realizing it.

"It's so unfair..." she whispered hoarsely, her eyes remained tear-free but still glassy. "Why do I have to suffer too just because of, of, of, of HIM!"

Kenshin was snatched from his reverie as soon he heard that vengeful tone from her voice. His head lazily snapped back into position as he gazed at her condescendingly, "What did you say?" his voice was dangerous. Usually, that tone of his voice is enough to make her crawl back in the proverbial shell she always encased herself in ever since he started his cruel tirades on her back when they were still children. And when she retreated inside that shell, she always berated herself for being such a coward and a loser.

But today, her anger and frustration didn't leave enough room for her usual fear of the Himura brat. Taking courage from that rage she hissed back, "Why did you even audition for the play? You were never interested in these things!"

"There's a first time for everything," he replied with just a hint of surprise in his face. He didn't know that she'd talk back. _This is the first time she ever did...!_

"No! You just wanted to make me miserable! You wanted me to act badly because of your presence so I'd be removed!" she abruptly stood up as tears threatened to fall from the pockets of her eyes. "You've been making me miserable from the very first day that we met! I've gritted my teeth through it all but this is where I draw the line Himura!"

"Wait a minute," he started to get up too. "Don't blame me for your sucky life Kamiya! Don't hate me just because my life is perfect and yours isn't."

He grinned with relish at the pained expression on her face. He knew he stung her badly but he couldn't possibly let her go after shouting at him._ She has to learn not to raise her voice on a Kenshin Himura_, he thought cockily.

Kaoru cannot believe the gall and the cruelty of the man. It took a while before she could find her voice, and when she did it was low and resentful, "Acting is the only thing I'm ever good at and it is the second most cherished thing I ever possessed!" She pursed her lips tightly and choked back a sob, "It's not enough for you to take the one I love the most...you just have to take them all, don't you?"

"Tomoe has a mind of her own. It's not my fault if she chose me over you," he cocked his head with an insulting smile on his lips.

_He didn't see it coming_. Kenshin never expected it from her so naturally he had let his guard down. It was too late for him to duck or do anything when his mind finally registered the hand that was heading towards his right cheek...

**OooooOooooO**

I passed by the playground on my way home and found the place deserted so I decided to stay there for a while. I kicked the sand beneath my shoes as I went back and forth in the swing. Everytime my foot made contact to the ground, I kicked up a cloud of dust- a lifelong habit I have that most people would usually classify as annoying.

But there were no people around so I didn't really mind_. Come to think of it_, I don't think I'd care even if there were other people here. I swung low, I swung high, but never for a moment did I stop. I gripped the chains holding the wooden seat and jangled it noisily every now and then. The jingling sound of the chain and the cloud of dust that I kick everytime my foot dived down annoyed me but that's okay_- I always annoy and irritate myself._

_What was I thinking! Why did I slap Kenshin!_ Like talking back to him wasn't suicidal enough, I just had to go and hit the most popular guy in school! _Don't get me wrong, I have no remorse for actually hitting him._ It's the repercussions that I'm worried about... His dangerous and fanatic admirers will surely kill me- _that is, if he hasn't decided to kill me himself!_

I stopped from swinging and nervously yanked back the sleeves of my dull-gray sweater to look at my pale wrists._ They couldn't kill me if I killed myself now..._

_But I still hate blood!_ How can I commit suicide if I swoon and faint at the first sight of that icky-red stuff! If I slash my wrist, I probably haven't gone through the dermis yet before I stop the moment I saw the scarlet liquid glisten against my skin.

"Hey Kamiya!"

I almost fell over my seat the moment I heard that voice! My insides quaked with foreboding as my eyes fell over the scarlet-haired moron by the name of Kenshin Himura. His gleaming red hair reminded me of another reason why I hated blood- _it reminds me of him!_ If ever I decided to kill myself, he would probably be my last thought before I pass away due to the fact that the color of his hair is similar to blood.

Him as my last thought?_ Now wouldn't that be interesting? _He'd probably laugh himself all the way to the funny house if he ever found that out!

_He's detestable! _He was leaning on his left side at one of the two metal rods that were holding the metal mesh gates of the playground. His arms were folded casually to his chest while his cold, violet eyes roamed my body from head to foot. His ponytail was recklessly tossed on top of his left shoulder while the chilly early-evening wind played with his bangs, accentuating the chiseled features of his comely face.

_He was rakishly handsome_...but I have learned through years of painful experience that beneath that boyish grin and mischievous lavender eyes is a creature that can give the devil a run for his money.

"What is it?" I managed to choke out when he started walking towards me. My knees went weak with fear when I recognized that threatening look on his face. I wanted to bolt away the moment he directed that oh so familiar scowl that told me volumes of his rage towards my direction. But something held me back so all I could do was gape while doom approached. Once he is near enough, he kneeled on one knee to level with me (since I'm still sitting on the swing) and held fast the chain of my swing chair to keep me from going anywhere. I squeaked helplessly when his other free hand dived towards my chin and held it in a vise-like grip that I knew will leave marks later.

Still holding my jaw, he pulled me a bit towards his face and breathed on my lips, "You didn't mean to slap me back there in Mr. Okina's office and totally humiliate me in front of the old coot, did you?" His voice was as sharp and as deadly as ice. I didn't answer so his grip on my face tightened. I shut my eyes and refused to give him the pleasure of seeing my pain and my fear.

He always treats me this way whenever I did something that angered him- no matter how insignificant the offense was. He did it so often that it is only right to surmise that I should be used to do this treatment...

_But I'm not, I'll never will!_ My gut always turns to mush and my knees into jelly whenever I'm in a confrontation like this._ I hate confrontations!_ I've seen it too many times in the past with my control-freak mom, abusive dad and with cruel Kenshin._ I hate this!_

"Well did you?" he gave my head a hard shake to make me open my eyes. I did what he wanted just to make him stop rattling me, but I almost buckled when I saw how hugely intimidating he really was up close. His eyes were practically spitting venom at me as he whispered dangerously, "Because I'm telling you right now Kaoru that I didn't like it one single bit. And you know me when I don't like something... Don't ever do that again, you clear!"

"Why are you doing this to me," my voice seemed so small and so weak. I placed my hands on his chest and tried to push him away. But he only ensnared them there with the hand that he used to hold the chain minutes ago to stop my struggling. "Why are you always so cruel to me?" I croaked in terror.

"Because you're pathetic," was his simple answer. I closed my eyes once more in an attempt to hide the ache of his words. He ignored this though and ended with these words: "It irritates me to see someone so utterly useless!"

"Enough!" my eyes snapped open and I wrestled my hands free. I grabbed his shoulders to make him get off me but he wouldn't budge. "Why can't you just leave me alone if the mere sight of me makes you puke?" I tried to push him away but he remained unflinching. He let go of my chin and used both of his hands to take mine off of his shoulders. What ensued was a wrestling match that eventually made me fall over to my back- with him following suit! My spine met the hard ground with a dull 'thud' that made me scream.

I lay there motionless for a while, eyes closed, groaning with the pain in my back. I wanted to get up but found I was unable to do so because Kenshin was on top of me! His chest was pressed on top of mine making it hard to breathe. "Get off!" I moaned with half-closed eyelids as I felt the pain of my back shooting all over my body. "GET OFF!"

My eyes fluttered open when I realized after a few seconds that he made no move to remove himself. I looked up at him and was surprised to see him looking down at me intently with an inscrutable emotion swirling in his eyes.

"Himura?" I started but was interrupted when I noticed the way his eyes played over my face. It gave me a very weird feeling at the pit of my stomach to see Kenshin stare at me in a way so different from his usual hostile glares or smug gaze.

"You're don't look...half as bad when you're not wearing glasses," he told me after a while in a slightly ragged voice. "Huh?" my right hand quickly shot up to touch my face and that's when I realized that during our tussle, my spectacles fell off from my nose and was now lying askew a few inches from us.

I swallowed audibly and rubbed my throat to ease the dryness that I felt. Himura continued to gaze at me queerly and it made me nervous and uncomfortable. "I thought you find my face disgusting," I prodded as I tried to break him away from the trance that he seems to be in.

"Did I say that?" his voice was still husky and that only increased my anxiety over the situation even more._ I don't know how to deal with this!_

"Yes you did," I told him flatly.

"I only said that seeing you so pathetic irritates me," he corrected.

My back was aching and I'm having difficulty respirating- _and now Kenshin is being strange on me!_ I licked my lower lip in frustration as I placed my hands on his chest once more to give him a little push, "Himura...!"

My plea went unnoticed when I saw how Kenshin's eyes followed my tongue when I wetted my lips. There was this funny stirring in my stomach again as I watched him pore over my face for just a few more minutes with an expression so entirely new to me. After what seemed like an eternity, he straightened up to finally move away from me.

Kenshin towered over me as I pulled myself up by my elbows while trying to reach for my glasses. Kenshin dusted the dirt from his black slacks and refused to meet my eyes even when I was finally able to stand up. My palm supported my lower back as I moaned because of the throbbing ache.

"Kamiya..."

"What!" I snapped. I was too involved with my pain to notice the tone I used on him. Too busy with my own thoughts to react on the haughty tilt of his left brow over my grumpy response to his call.

"Mr. Okina was having second thoughts about his decision," he drawled off-handedly as if the information he was about to impart was not important. That got my attention though, and my stare quickly snapped up towards his direction in an expectant manner. He rolled his eyes over my obvious over-enthusiasm about the subject, "He said that he's giving us a chance to come back after seeing how much the play means to YOU."

"He will!" I didn't bother to conceal the brimming joy in my voice. "Oh that's so-"

"Hey, hey," he raised his palms up in front of me to stop myself from actually launching in the air because of happiness. Kenshin's expression remained so grave that I was suddenly wary. "Why do I have the feeling that I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop..." I asked him.

"There's a condition," Kenshin shrugged at my apprehension. "And I don't think you'd like it. I almost choked the life out of the old man for even suggesting it-"

"Get to the point!" I was too impatient to mind my attitude. He hitched his thumbs inside the waistband of his slacks as he eyed me carefully, like he was assessing if I could endure the shock of what he's about to reveal.

"You'll laugh."

"My aching spinal column won't let me have the pleasure," I replied dryly.

"It's really stupid."

"I wouldn't know 'till you tell me."

He exhaled heavily and tilted his head to the side. In a voice so calm and so free of guile he told me, "Mr. Okina wants us to become an item..."

For a while I didn't realize what he meant by that. "An item?" my brows knitted together in concentration. "When you say '_become an item_' here it's the term commonly used today to loosely describe a romantic relationship between-" My eyes widened and I gasped at the middle of the sentence when the idea finally managed to sink in.

_No shit!_

I looked at Kenshin dumbfounded, completely at lost for words. Kenshin rolled his eyes and laughed derisively, "I know! Dumb right?" He shook his head while massaging his temples with his index and thumb. "Really, of all ideas! Mr. Okina told me that if we are able to convince everyone, our family and our schoolmates, that we're in love for a month- only then would he let us go back to our roles... Ha! As if!"

Yes it was silly and stupid to even fathom! _Me and Himura?_ Ha! When Pigs fly!

_Still…_

I looked away as I contemplated over this trivial situation._ I wanted the play! It will launch me to my dream as a great actress!_ My aspiration is the only treasure I have left with me ever since my parents separated and Tomoe abandoned me...

I raised my palm and stared at the lines that marked the years of my existence, the lines that predicted my fate. I looked up to see Kenshin still shaking his head at the sheer absurdity of Mr. Okina's condition. My eyes darted sideward to look at my palm, back at Kenshin, then on my hand again.

_My only treasure...my only hope...my only sanity..._

Kenshin combed back his hair with his fingers, and for the first time in my life I let myself admire his suave ways without thinking of his vile persona...

_Would I let this small setback get in the way of my dreams?_

"Well I should be going now," Himura started to walk away. "I just stopped by to tell you not to slap me again and to share a laugh with you about the stupidity of Mr. Okina's idea."

_Could I really do it?_

"Is it really that impossible?"

Ken looked surprised when I ran ahead and blocked him off. "What's impossible?" he asked with a quizzical tilt of his left brow.

I inhaled deeply to gather all the confidence I could gather. Finally, I looked up at him with a determined expression as I voiced out my thoughts, "Is it really impossible for you to pretend that you're in love with me?"

"Wha-"

"How about now?" I removed my glasses and tossed it over my shoulder. I was too nervous with what I'm doing and what I'm about to do for the sake of the art that I loved for so long to take pleasure in the astounded expression that was clearly etched on Kenshin's face. He glanced away disbelievingly and muttered, "Now I've seen everything."

But I was persistent,_ I'm not going to let him off the hook so easily!_ "Well maybe not in love but at least there's admiration right? I mean, maybe I look halfway decent now- decent enough for you to muster at least a bit of attraction for me. You said so yourself," my voice was getting desperate when I sensed that Himura is going to be difficult about this. I only prepared myself to have the courage to ask him-_ I'm not prepared to take his rejection!_

"Are you suggesting that-" he stopped when he realized the implication of my words. His left eye widened while the other narrowed, making him look so silly. But the message was clear of what he thought of the suggestion when he vehemently shook his scarlet mane, "You're touched in the head Kamiya if you think that I'd go with this stupid charade! We couldn't even act enamored with each other onstage so what makes you think that-"

"Yes we can!" I raised a finger at him to silence him._ Now that I've expressed what I want and have gotten over the initial humiliation of suggesting it, I'm going through with this!_ "I'm a professional actress and you're not so bad yourself. I think we can pull this off!"

"Yeah except that you forgot something," he went near me and pretended to knock on my forehead. "We're enemies, remember?"

"I am prepared to forget for an indefinite period of time that we have been at each other's throats since childhood," I raised my nose a bit in defiance. "Besides, we will only be just pretending!"

"It won't work," he crossed his hands parallel to his chest, palms facing outward and waved them in the opposite direction to signify his point. "We hate each other too much to pretend that we're in love!"

"Yeah...?"

"Yeah!"

I gave him a stubborn look. Before he could react and pull away, my hands trapped his cheeks and I pulled his head towards me. I let my lips hover just a few millimeters on top of his. Himura's eyes were as big as saucers as he gave me an appalled look.

My eyes darted around the features of his face nervously._ Having him so close was so unnerving that I could puke!_ But I fought my damndest not to show that aversion on my facial expression. We were so close that my lips brushed with his ever so lightly when I opened my mouth to speak. "We could pretend!" I pushed down my anxiety so that my voice wouldn't tremble as I speak. "You could pretend that I'm Tomoe so that acting like you're in love with me will be easier-"

"You're not Tomoe," his breathing was bit shallow as his eyes leisurely roamed around my face again-_ just like what he did earlier_. Once more, a sweet yet strange sensation began to fill me up inside, seeing him stare at me without that malicious glint on his eyes that I've grown accustomed with. "You have to pretend that I'm Tomoe," I insisted as I mentally wrestled free from these new emotions that my arch-nemesis is making me feel.

"You're not Tomoe," he repeated in a whisper.

"Just pretend that I am," I suggested softly.

"You don't smell like Tomoe..." he inhaled my scent and I shivered. "She always smelled of fine perfume . But you..." My hand felt weak because of his words and it almost fell away but he was quick to entwine it back with his own, pressing it closer to his cheeks.

"You don't even feel like Tomoe," his hands massaged mine against his palms and face. "Her muscles are toned and a bit hard due to cheerleading practice and exercise. You on the other hand are too soft..."

"Himura I-"

"And I bet that you don't taste like her..."

He removed one hand that was trapping my palm to his cheeks and used it to trace my lips with his thumb. In a moment I realized what he was about to do when he angled his head and closed the small distance between our lips.

_I knew it was coming… saw that it was coming_. And yet I didn't do anything to stop it. I even closed my eyes and waited with abated breath for the contact. My mind was screaming in my head while my heart pounded with nervousness in my ribcage. Blood was thumping heavily in my temples making me feel light-headed.

_I can't believe that I'm just going to let it happen._ I've been hating Himura's gut since like forever! His mere presence always make my blood pressure jump to unreachable heights and would probably cause my early death. He is an insufferable snob who took away everything that might give me happiness! He always belittled me, insulted me, shamed me in front of everyone!_ He always made me feel as if the world could do so well without me..._

Those thoughts jerked me back to reality and my eyes opened abruptly in time to see Kenshin's descending face. I quickly turned my head to the side so his lips landed on my left cheek.

I was suddenly shattered by a realization the moment he touched my skin-_ he was really going to kiss me! What was Himura thinking?_ Don't tell me that he momentarily forgot about our enmity and actually meant to lip lock me! I thought that he was only teasing and that once he is near, he'd laugh at me for expecting such an impossible thing from him!

"Kaoru?" his eyes fluttered open and he has this sexy bedroom look on his face._ Oh geez why is he so unpredictable!_ I don't know how to act in front of this side of his personality!

"Braces," I pointed at my teeth to explain my sudden withdrawal. "Couldn't kiss properly with it."

I think realization finally dawned on him that he almost kissed his arch-enemy because he recoiled almost instantly. He looked angry and disgusted with himself as his right hand supported his forehead.

I didn't wait for any confrontations or questions or any of his violent reactions and quickly jumped him back to the topic. "You see? We can do this! We can pretend for just a month Himura. We can act this out, trust me!" I gave him an excited look as I stared up at him hopefully.

"Why did you almost let me do it?" he asked instead in an irritated voice.

"W-what?"

He looked furious and confused at the same time as he spat out, "I almost kissed you! God what was I thinking!" he punched the side of his head as his breathing became agitated. "It's a good thing you stopped it, but why did you initiate it in the first place?"

"I initiated it?" I coughed in disbelief._ Was the man daft?_ Why would I want to kiss the devil's advocate, namely him!

He ignored my incredulity though and continued to accuse me, "You almost kissed me there too! What were you thinking Kamiya! We're enemies for Pete's sake! Honestly I never expected you to-"

"Maybe I did it because for a while back there, you're not Kenshin Himura!" I snapped at him to make him shut up.

He stopped and I got my desired effect. Kenshin raised his eyes and gave me a dumbfounded look, "What do you mean...?"

"I imagined that you were someone else okay!" I lied through my teeth. "I pretended that you're someone else earlier that's why I almost kissed you too!"

He coughed in disbelief, "You...you thought that I was...?"

"You heard me," I tilted my chin stubbornly. "_I pretended!_ So you see Himura? It works! We could do Mr. Okina's condition if _we_ just pretended that the other is someone else!"

For a while Kenshin didn't speak. He kept staring at the ground like he wanted to strangle and kill it. He was muttering curses under his breath and I couldn't exactly understand why he's being this resentful._ We didn't do it okay? Almost, but we didn't!_ So why is he acting as if we did!

Finally, he raised his head and looked at me eye-to-eye. Kenshin reached out a hand and touched my right shoulder. "Himura?" I gave him a questioning look. Suddenly, he shoved me roughly aside and started walking. As soon as he got me out of the way, that's when I realized that he's trying to escape me._ Strange..._

"H-hey where are you going," I called out.

"Home," he didn't even glance back.

"But what about the plan?"

"You're crazy! It's not going to work!" he tossed over this shoulder.

_What! _"It will!" I shouted back, enraged that he'd put me off that easily. "If you'd just cooperate, it will!"

"No!" he paused only for a moment to shout back, then started sprinting.

No!_ He's not going to get away without a good reason!_ I quickly raced after him and grabbed his arm, "Why the hell not!" I gritted my teeth in frustration. "You haven't even considered the idea for more than ten seconds and yet you are quick to dismiss that it will fail!"

"Because it will, trust me!" he retorted.

"Why Kenshin? Why are you so apprehensive about it?" I tugged at his sleeves. He shook my hand off and growled, "I'm not apprehensive!" he started towards the exit once more.

It's as if he hadn't spoken because I exclaimed thoughtfully. "It's almost as if...as if you're afraid," I murmured to myself.

"What are you afraid of Kenshin Himura?" I yelled at him before he could make his exit through the wire mesh gates of the playground. He stopped in his track and turned his head a bit to look at me, "I'm not afraid of anything okay? It's a dumb idea so just drop it!"

I looked away and my eyes landed on the swing that I previously sat on. My mind replayed the time that I fell and his body was pressed on top of mine. I remembered vividly how he studied my face, how his eyes followed my tongue when I moistened my lower lip...

An idea struck in my mind- very bizarre, absurd, illogical and impossible!_ And yet..._

In a dazed state, I raised my eyes from the ground and watched at Kenshin's retreating form. In a voice so soft that only ghosts would hear, I whispered, "Are you-" I shook my head as if merely saying it out loud will only reinforce it's ludicrousness. "Are you afraid that you'd fall in love with me?"

My voice was carried by the wind so he was able to hear me clearly. He abruptly stopped in his tracks and pivoted to his heel to face me squarely. "What made you think-!" he looked at me with a queer expression. For a while, none of us spoke and we let each other think over the situation. When comprehension finally dawned on him, it was not a pretty sight. "You think that there's a possibility that I will fall-? That's stupid!" he exploded. "I don't want to agree because it's dumb and it's not gonna work! Besides, I could never like a dork like you!"

I ignored the zing. I slowly folded my arms to my chest in a loose manner, smiled lopsidedly to show that he's not going to make me back down with insults. "You almost kissed me remember?"

"That was- OH!" he held his forehead in frustration. "You know it didn't mean anything!"

"Do I?" I asked innocently. My heart hammered erratically in my ribcage over my newfound boldness. I knew I was baiting trouble but I wanted to get the situation clear to Himura._ I want that role- I WANT THAT PLAY!_ And if he won't cooperate because of his own personal conflicts then I'm here to straighten it out! "If you're not afraid to fall for me Himura then why won't you just agree to the condition? You have nothing to lose if you'd pretend to be in love with me for a month!"

"Aside from my lunch and my reputation," he muttered sarcastically. I gave him a _'you're-not-funny'_ pointed look in response to that snide remark. "Look," I circled him and gave him my most damning expression. "If we succeed in Mr. Okina's stipulation then we'll get our parts back! If we don't, then we'll just go back to hating each other." I held my hands out in a giving gesture, "Nothing to lose! And as for your so-called reputation, we'll just admit the truth after the one month period!"

"No!" he replied stubbornly. "I don't want to go to all that trouble Kamiya! And not because I'm afraid I might fall in love with you. It's because I just don't want to do it okay!"

"Suuurrreee," I drawled insultingly. His eyes narrowed at the sarcasm in my voice and I pretended to look smug about it. "You just keep telling that to yourself Himura and maybe one day you'd actually believe it…"

He let out a gush of air in disbelief. "What about you?" he asked in a suddenly serious voice. "You keep on telling me that I'm worried that I might fall for you, but have you ever thought of the opposite?" he grinned knowingly.

My smile disappeared and my arms loosened from my chest as this idea took a blow in my consciousness._ Fall in love with Kenshin Himura?_ Was that even possible…!

Kenshin was practically beaming when he saw that I was not as confident now as before. "Well?" he prodded smugly.

"Preposterous…" I told him in a voice barely above a whisper as my head bowed down while thinking over that ugly possibility.

"Sure," he imitated my sarcastic drawl. My eyes snapped back to his and I gave him an unsure look. "I hate you…" I told him simply, so matter-of-factly that it was almost funny; but for the first time in my life there was hesitance. "I hate you and yet-" I glanced away and looked around the playground. I gripped my skirt tensely and blurted, "-and yet I couldn't exactly write off the chance of falling in love with you as a complete impossibility!"

"See Kamiya? So let's just forget about-"

"NO!" I almost shouted as I roughly faced him again. He was obviously astonished by my outburst for he took a step back. "No?" he asked.

"No…" I repeated calmly as I bent over to my waist to pick up my glasses. I looked at its broken frame before putting it back on. "Whether I fall in love with you or not is not the issue here. I want to achieve my dream and I will reach for it no matter what!"

I walked past him but stopped after only a few steps when he called out, "Why are you not concerned that you might lose your heart to me? I'm your enemy Kamiya! Or have you forgotten?" his voice was strangely calm as he suggested these words.

I gazed skyward and took note of the beautiful scarlet hue of the heavens. I smiled as the wind caressed my cheeks and uplifted my spirits. I didn't bother to turn around when I told him softly, "I'm used to loving people and them not loving me back or leaving me Himura…so you need not concern yourself about it." I took a deep breath and smiled sadly at the thought of all the failures I had in my life. "There, I have laid out all my cards Himura. You could decide to just torture me and not agree with this set up- killing my dream in the process, or, you could be human for once and give me this one chance to be happy…"

I shook my head when I realized that I just gave him the idea on how he can hurt me hard._ Oh well, one more disappointment in my life wouldn't make a difference anyway._ I began to walk away with a heavy heart and a sick stomach._ I wonder if the Gillette blade in the bathroom is not too rusty…_

"Two months!"

I was too lost in my misery to notice that Kenshin had spoken up. When he sensed that I didn't notice him, he raced up to catch me and blocked my way. I looked up at him with a puzzled expression, "What?"

"You have to do all of my assignments and pay for all of my meals for two months if this ploy succeeds okay?" he gave me a teasing smile.

_The smile that stole the hearts of so many girls in Seirin high..._

"You mean-?" I started breathlessly.

"Do we have a deal?" he extended his hand to shake. I gazed at his arm, stupefied, unable to think. When reality finally registered in my skull, I gave out an overjoyed cry and launched myself to him before I could stop myself. His eyes widened in surprise and he looked like he wasn't sure if he should avoid me or catch me.

Thankfully, he chose the latter (or else I would have kissed the ground). I hugged him tightly out of sheer happiness, only dimly aware of his hands that were trying to push me away from him.

As for me, I couldn't care less if I'm embracing the most despicable man I've ever met on earth!_ This is the start of my road to fulfillment!_ And I'll be damned if I'd let anything stop me in reaching my dreams!

_No, nothing can stop me!_ Not even the possibility of falling in love with Kenshin Himura can deter me!

**_Well be pleased girl..._**

**_If this is what you wanted,_**

**_the whole world is watching you take the stage_**

**_What will you say?_**

**_Aren't I lovely,_**

**_and do you want me cause,_**

**_I am hungry for something that will make me real..._**

**_Can you see me and,_**

**_do you love me cause,_**

**_I am desperately searching for something_**

**_Real..._**

**OooooOooooO**

_A/N: Waaaa sorry for the long wait! School obligations prolonged my writing but the blow landed last week when our computer's hard drive gave up on me! In fact, I'm writing this fic in a computer rental place. Sorry if I can't respond to readers right now because like I said, I'm only renting for now. But please do review because it will be very much appreciated! Thanks to all my readers and I guess that's all for now, 'till then ciao, ciao!_

_P.S. Oh yeah, I don't own the song "Real" by Plumb. Awesome singer! I'm totally in love with her album right now! (:D)_


	3. the start of a hobby

_Ding-dong! _

"Coming!" Mrs. Kamiya hollered as she rushed down the stairs to answer the door. Before she opened it, she made a point of patting her soft hair in place and checking her distorted reflection against the brass ornament shaped like a saucer that is nailed on the wooden surface of the door for any imperfection on her pretty face. Satisfied, she cleared her throat and plastered a welcoming smile on her lips as she finally opened the door.

"Good morning-" she was cut off upon seeing the person standing on her doorway.

"Er, good morning too Mrs. Kamiya…" the red-haired boy in front of her smiled sheepishly.

**OoooOoooOoooOoooO **

_BAM! _

I was descending down the same flight of stairs when I heard the front door slam shut. I gave my mother a quizzical look upon seeing her flustered face. "Who was it mom? You looked like you've seen a ghost," I joked. She smiled weakly in response, "It…it was nothing." She shook her head as if she still can't believe what she saw. "Yes…it was probably just an illusion…"

I made a weird face at her, "Mom what are you talking about?" I glanced at the silver, angel-shaped wall clock near the fireplace mantle and noted the time- 6:30 AM. "Isn't it too early for you to be drinking?" I askedjokingly, reminding her of her early addiction back when she divorced my dad. She went to rehab a few years ago and managed to regain the confident woman she used to be before her disastrous marriage to my father.

_At first, she refused to acknowledge that she was sick_. It was only when her lawyer told her firmly that she wouldn't be able to attain full custody of me unless she seek professional help that she finally relented.

But now back to our discussion. It was a cruel thing to say to my mom _-even as a joke-_ I admit_. But my mother had long before refused to be bothered by that_; saying that her knowledge and understanding of her past weakness(es) is what empowers her today. So with that in mind, she always took any criticism about her 'sickness' in stride_. And I really respected her for that…_

"Funny," she exclaimed dryly but with no trace of ill humor. "Aren't you going to school yet?" she asked with mock-impatience and a hint of a smile on that motherly face.

"Aaaah, in a hurry to get rid off me are you?" I grinned wickedly. _It's so easy to be happy when you know that things are finally going the way you want it. _After my agreement yesterday with Himura, I guess you can say that my good mood extended until that morning.

I saw my mom tilt an eyebrow at my uncharacteristic cheeriness. She raised her index finger as if to say something, when the doorbell suddenly rang again. Her response was automatic and she quickly turned to open the door once more.

My eyes widened in surprise as soon as I recognized the person beyond the doorway, with his hand poised in the air like he was about to ring the bell again._ Kenshin Himura…_ He was looking so smart and assured with his casual-sporty apparel of white polo shirt with the sleeves drawn up to the elbows and topped by a sleeveless, navy-blue sweater. He finished the attire with a pair of tight, blue jeans and cool looking brown, suede shoes. Kenshin's hair was tied in a messy ponytail_, like always_, but it only served to give hint of arrogance and mischief on what would otherwise be considered as a preppy ensemble.

This is the handsome boy that charmed his way so easily in the hearts of so many girls in this small town. This is the rakishly endearing guy that many admired and adored to the point of obsession…

_He is also the person that made life hell for me ever since I met him!_ This is the guy that I'd be ever so happy to impale a dirty, blunt, rusty metallic stake right through his heart!_ I'd do it with so much relish too!_

And for a whole month, he's going to direct all that charm to me and pretend that I'm the only girl that matters in his life…

_Life is so ironic, ne?_

I snapped out of my reverie when I noticed that my mom has this incredibly appalled expression on her face. "No mom!" Himura and I panicked at the same time when Mrs. Kamiya motioned to slam the door on his face again. Quickly, I managed to put my body in between the door crack to stop her from closing it shut.

My mother cast a puzzled expression in my direction, "Were you-" she shook her head in disbelief. "Were you expecting this creep Kaoru!"

I saw Kenshin's jaw drop slightly at the not-so-subtle expression of dislike my mother directed at him. I smiled nervously and threw Kenshin a half-glance. "Well…he's sort of picking me up for school."

Her reaction was so comical that I would have laughed right there and then, if only my anxiously churning stomach would let me. Mrs. Kamiya's eyes widened and narrowed at the same time while her voice came out in a high-pitched squeak when she asked, "SINCE WHEN!"

Himura seemed to have regained his wits at last and gave her the answer that we planned and practiced yesterday, "Since we started seeing each other Mrs. Kamiya…"

_It was then that all hell broke lose!_ Both Kenshin and I were given no time to react when my mother harshly pulled me inside the house while simultaneously throwing the door at Himura's face. She pushed it so hard that the door rattled and jangled dangerously on its hinges.

"Ma!" my eyes bulged over her rash actions. "What do you think you're doing?"

Instead of answering, my mother folded her arms to her chest and stared at me, tight-lipped and gravely stern. "Kaoru," she started but swallowed instead. She inhaled deeply before continuing, "What he said just now…is it true?"

"Ma…!" I moaned as I directed my gaze at the ceiling in vexation. "Don't make a big deal out of this Puh-LEASE!"

"So it's true then…?" she gasped, her hands cupping the hollow of her throat. "B-but how?"

I sighed and rubbed my eyes with the my two middle fingers while my thumb held my temples, "It just happened…okay?"

Understanding finally dawned in her noggin and she gasped at my failure to deny Kenshin's words. "Kaoru no! No, no, no!" she waved her hands in negation as she walked away from me and deeper into the house. "Not okay at all! Kaoru Kamiya I absolutely forbid you to see that boy!"

"What!" I cried out and chased her towards the kitchen where she stopped to drink her hot coffee. I planted my palms firmly on top of the ceramic counter with the words, "What do you mean I can't see him!"

"I'm your mother and I know what's good for you!" Mrs. Kamiya looked at me through the steam of her hot drink and gave me an irritated scowl. "And I definitely know that Himura kid is bad to the bone. You're better off not associating with the likes of him!"

"So that's it huh?" it was my turn to glare._ This woman in front of me is not going to be the one to stop me in pursuing my dreams!_ I went so far already to let this setback defeat me! "Just because you're my mother doesn't mean you can dictate me on what I should do or who I associate with! You don't even know the guy-"

"What's there to know Kaoru!" my mom angrily slammed her mug on the countertop making the bottom shatter. I winced at the fire in her eyes and was slightly intimidated by her imposing posture. "I know everything there is to know about that nasty boy! He made you miserable back in your elementary days, don't you remember? I'm always confronting that good-for-nothing guardian of his, that Hiko guy, to do something with his horrible ward, but with no success!" she finally turned her attention to the smashed bottom of her mug and cursed under her breath while she cleaned it up. "Figures too! What would an ex-convict know about raising a disciplined child?" she muttered out loud as she turned the faucet to wash her hands after putting away the mess.

I shook my head, unable to refute her words for they are all true. It's funny because she's only talking about my bad experiences with Himura when I was still a child. I guess when I came into my teens, I learned to hide the pain from her because I didn't want to add my problems to her troubles back then (The divorce and her 'sickness', remember?). And since I stopped coming home in tears, I guess she just naturally assumed that Kenshin finally stopped his brutal treatment on me.

_Kenshin would have received a much, much worse reception earlier this morning if my mom knew that his cruelty continued until we entered high school…_

I didn't know what the right thing to say at such a situation._ Lying is going to be such a pain for the next few weeks!_ I wouldn't know the first thing to tell her of how my hatred over him changed completely overnight. I'm actually tempted to tell her the truth, just to lighten the burden in my chest a bit. But that would be cheating on the stipulation given to us by Mr. Okina yesterday… Kenshin did mention that Mr. Okina warned him that no one else must know about the pretense.

I raised my hand but it quickly dropped to my side in frustration. "I don't expect you to understand," I told her quietly instead.

"You bet I won't!" Mrs. Kamiya replied ruthlessly, eyes still averted to the sink.

I sighed for the umpteenth time that morning before slinging my backpack over my right shoulder. I turned away to leave, but stopped in mid-step to give her my final say, "But you see…" I hesitated for a brief moment before pursuing my point, "I really don't need your permission or your understanding in terms of what I do or don't do with my life."

I momentarily heard her inhale sharply in shock at my rebellious words. But her riposte to my statement was drowned out when I closed the front door behind me.

Outside, Kenshin was sitting idly on top of the porch railings and was playing with the petals of my mom's orchids. He glanced up as he heard me approach and raised an eyebrow at my calm face. "Hey wait!" he jumped off the railing and ran to catch up on me because I didn't pause to wait for him.

I was already walking down the block when Himura finally jogged up to me. He kept his pace the same as mine as he fell into step with me. He raised his arms in the air and let the back of his head rest on top of his intertwined fingers, "Your mom doesn't like me huh?"

"Gee, you think?" I wanted to snap at him but decided to quell down my irritation_. I don't want Himura and I to get on a bad start, especially when we're supposed to pretend to be in love with each other._

That could be quite a task…ESPECIALLY SINCE HIS MERE PRESENCE REPULSE ME! In fact, simply walking side-by-side with him is making my skin hairs stand on end with sheer discomfiture of his company. Yesterday, I was quite sure of myself that I'd be able to pull it off and act completely enamored with him._ No sweat for a good actress like me, right?_ But now I realized that what a fool I've been!_ For how could I do this stupid charade if merely being near him affects me this much- in a negative way!_

I can't even act civil around him._ So what made me think that I can act like a lovesick fool with Kenshin Himura!_

"Nice…"

"What?" I cast him a brief sideward glance when I noticed that he was staring at me. He gave me an unsure smile before turning his eyes back to the road, seemingly hesitant. "What is it?" I asked again when he didn't answer.

"It's nothing," he replied abruptly. Kenshin was frowning slightly as he sped up. Thoroughly puzzled now, I hurried my steps to catch up and managed to grab his sleeves. "Oh come on!" I persisted. "What's the deal Himura?"

"It's nothing Kamiya!" he insisted, still not meeting my eyes.

"What is it? Tell me!" I challenged. I stopped walking and since I was still holding his sleeves, he was forced to stop too. He rolled his eyes as he turned to me, completely annoyed now, "Whaaaat!"

"You tell me!" I answered back with a defiant tilt of my chin.

"It's nothing okay!"

"I'd still want to know!"

I met his bothered look with a determined gaze of my own. After a while, he sighed in defeat and finally decided to tell me what's up, "I just think that you look different today okay!"

"Different?" I asked, confused. "How different?" I tugged at his sleeves for an answer. He made a low growl as he tried to free the fabric from my clutches. "Well?" I queried, my voice growing more and more impatient the longer he took to answer.

"Let go!" he grumbled. "You're ruining the material Kamiya!"

"Himura tell me!"

"Kamiya!"

I gave him a stubborn look that clearly told him_ 'we-could-do-this-all-day-unless-you-tell-me'_ and I guess that's what undid him. "Alright already! You look nice today, okay? Must be you letting your hair down or something- I don't know!" he raised his free arm in the air and waved it in exasperation. "Now will you let go of me!" He didn't really wait for my answer as he yanked his arm free and began to sprint away.

I was rooted to the spot, unable to react instantly with his words._ Was I just been praised? BY HIMURA!_

_Unbelievable!_ Has hell frozen over? I always thought that Himura complimenting me, no matter how unwillingly, was the last thing to ever happen here on earth!_ It was a near-to-impossible phenomenon_, if it is not completely and utterly unfeasible already!

I consciously patted my long ebony hair, trying to feel if it's any different today. I didn't know what made me free my hair from its perpetual ponytail bond today. I guess I was just too much in a good mood earlier this morning that I decided to just let it go and flow freely past my shoulders in an expression of utter liberation…

_Kenshin described it as nice_… I would have understood if he did it when there are other people around since we're supposed to act like we're attracted with each other._ But…?_

I looked around the empty, middle-class neighborhood and saw only a lone, middle-aged man in sight. He couldn't possibly have witnessed our little exchange since he's busily mowing his front lawn.

I shuddered visibly with disgust and dread at the memory of Himura's words._ What kind of twisted world did I wake up into?_ Next thing you'll know, he'll be putting flowers in my locker or writing me love notes and stashing it in my desk drawer, or something worse!

_What's bad about that? He's supposed to do all those things for a month remember!_ A voice in my head queried innocently.

_Yeah, except he's not supposed to mean it!_ When he told me that I look 'nice', he looked guilty enough for me to conclude that it was a sincere remark! What if one day, he'd actually start being genuine about those 'loving' gestures that he's supposed to act out? Then what?

_Now that's disturbing! _

"We're walking Kamiya!" the prat hollered over his shoulder and it was only then that I realized that he was already quite a good distance away. "Unless you want to be late and miss Prof. Amakusa's class again!"

I pushed these ugly thoughts behind and shook my head to snap me out of my trance._ I shouldn't think about disgusting, puke-worthy ideas like these! Not unless I want to throw up and lose my nerve so early in the game._ I quickly jogged up to meet his pace and fell into step with him once more. "Why are we walking anyway?" I grumbled without thinking. "Where's your car?"

Kenshin was silent. I sneaked a peak at his profile with confused eyes but he did not budge. When he still did not answer, I finally took his silence as his way of telling me the frank truth…

I looked away; a bit hurt at the idea that nagged inside my head as to why he didn't bring his car. After a while I couldn't help but voice out my assumption, "I guess you don't want the likes of me inside your car huh?"

"What are you whining about now?" he asked me in a tired voice. My ears pricked up at his statement and I was quick to snap, "I'm not whining! It's not a crime if I just point out the obvious."

"Yes you are!" he retorted. "You always go around pitying yourself, thinking that you're nothing or something like that. It's really pathetic Kamiya!"

"I don't go around-!" I began to bluster in indignation. "You're the one who always treat me like I'm not worth anything!" I burst out angrily.

"You get treated the way you let people treat you," Kenshin shrugged in his defense. "Do you think a person with a healthy amount of self-esteem would let him/herself be bullied and pushed for so long like what I did to you?" he reasoned out.

"I would have a healthy amount of self-esteem now_ if_ you haven't crushed what could have been the foundation of it, back then when we were children!" I hissed sarcastically at him. I was shaking with righteous anger and I knew he could see it. But instead of being perturbed or anything like that, he simply told me with a careless shrug, "My car is in the corner garage getting fixed okay, that's why I didn't bring it. Satisfied?"

My eyes widened with disbelief and the Himura brat smirked at this, "You expect the worse from everyone, do you know that Kaoru?"

And with a smug expression, he turned on his heel and walked ahead of me. It took me a while to realize what he said, and when I did I made sure that my words would be loud and clear to him. "I don't expect the worse from everyone- ONLY FROM YOU!" I shouted at his back.

He turned his head a bit to the side and showed me how he grinned and rolled his eyes as he retorted calmly, "Whiner!"

Not the smartest of comebacks, I know._ But then again, Himura is not exactly known for his wit you know._

I scowled and glowered all throughout our trek to our 'beloved school'. I also didn't bother to catch up to him anymore. To be so near him is like an insult to everything I've believed in for the last fourteen years.

It's definitely going to be a long month ahead…

**OoooOoooOoooOoooO **

"Chatty aren't we?" he drawled.

"You're not exactly the king of congeniality too you know," she snapped back, a bit wearisome.

_Too slow_. Kenshin thought disgustedly. Their process of being genial towards each other is like a snail pace -only more sluggish and difficult- if that's still possible.

Currently, they were seated across each other in one of those red picnic benches scattered across the school grounds for eating purposes (since the cafeteria cannot hold the vast number of students in Seirin High during lunch). It also serves as lounging grounds for those who want to just hang around for a bit under the warm sunshine and the cool shade of various cherry blossom trees dotted all over the place.

"This is so boring!" he exclaimed out loud to irritate her. He even leaned back so that he can put his feet on top of the picnic table. Kaoru snarled at him and slapped his feet away from her lunch bag. "Hey!" he cried out indignantly when he almost fell from the bench because of the force of that slap. "And you wonder why you always sit alone!" he barked, infuriated and didn't know whether to hurt her or leave her.

He decided to have a little more patience. He keeps his word and he didn't want Kaoru to think that he's chickening out of the deal because of his own immaturity.

She on the other hand decided to ignore that sting and instead, just swallow down the bitter bile of hatred before they both infuriate themselves to the point of no return. "Besides," Kaoru pursued the previous topic grumpily as she tried to catch his attention once more. "There's nothing to talk about since we have absolutely nothing in common," she took a vengeful bite of her sandwich and grimaced when she realized that her mom prepared her egg salad-_ eeewww!_

"-Aside from our deep enmity towards each other of course," Kaoru continued after giving the contents of her food a disgusted look. "I can't think of anything else that we agree upon." She tossed the egg sandwich to the nearest trash bin with such amazing accuracy that even Himura couldn't help but be impressed.

"Nice throw," he praised without thinking.

"You're going to make this a habit aren't you?" she replied off-handedly as she dug up the other contents of the paper bag. It was his turn to throw her a puzzled look while she happily presented an apple and immediately nibbled on it. "Make a habit of what?" he queried slowly, carefully.

"Complimenting me," she shrugged unconcerned. Kaoru twirled the apple in her palm, unfazed by the incredulous look Kenshin was shooting at her after that statement. "That wasn't a compliment," he replied with just a hint of annoyance, not wanting to lose his composure.

She stopped playing with her apple and gave him a weird look, "It most surely sounded like one."

"Well it's not!" he insisted, patience wearing thinner and thinner being around the whiny Kamiya girl.

She tilted her head before giving him a funny expression. "I know you didn't mean it, if that's what you're being defensive about…" she brought the apple to her lips, and without batting an eyelash, took a big, un-lady-like bite. Kenshin wrinkled his nose in distaste but she didn't care. "Ever thought of acting properly?" he questioned with a disapproving look. "No wonder a guy couldn't hold his interest in you for more than five seconds. You're not exactly prudish Mary."

"Firstly," she pointed her index finger at him using the hand where the apple is still enclosed in her fist. "I don't care about men, much less what they think about me! Secondly-" she stopped and shook her head as if hesitating to reveal more.

"What?" he prompted her to continue, genuinely interested all of a sudden.

Kaoru sighed and gave him a somber look, "Even if I acted all lady-like I don't think that men will still be interested with me…"

Kenshin opened his mouth and waved his left hand a bit with a little twirl of his wrist, "Because…?"

She scoffed, "Isn't it obvious?" Kaoru gave him a bitter half-smile for a brief moment and then it disappeared, "I'm ugly Himura or have you forgotten? No one would want me, I'm not beautiful or smart or athletic or…or…or" she shook her head sadly. For a moment, she was lost in her own thoughts and emotions. All the misery of living on earth for seventeen years, unwanted and unloved, overwhelmed her for a few minutes.

Without realizing it, she was gripping the apple so hard that juices are seeping out of the ruby-red skin and dribbling down her hands. Kenshin gave her a slightly worried look, "H-hey…Kamiya are you all right?"

"W-what?" she was snatched from her stupor by his voice. She met his gaze, and all too quickly, humiliation flooded her being when she realized how tender and vulnerable she must have looked and sounded. "But it's really alright!" she was quick to add to salvage her dignity when she recognized understanding (and even a trace of pity) descend upon Kenshin's face. Blushing to the very roots of her hair, she coughed away the heavy atmosphere and shrugged, "I can live with myself. I don't need a man in my life- just my dreams!"

"God knows that I already have too much trouble handling the men I personally know! You and my dad are already quite a handful so can you imagine if I add another whacko in my life?" she joked and tried to smile but her uneasiness over her confession made her wince instead.

It took a while for Himura to speak. He didn't know what to say after hearing such an intimate revelation from her._ She really believes that she's nothing_, he realized with astonishment._ Can anyone really be this…this…this self-doubting, this self-depreciating?_

And for the very first time in the fourteen years that he tortured her, he suddenly has doubts…

_What can he say? What can he do? Should he assure her somewhat? Comfort her?_

Wouldn't that sound so…so…_so plastic?_ After all, half the reason why she's berating herself is because of the ideas that _HE_ had imbedded in her mind.

_Major screw-up!_ He's not supposed to feel pity or remorse- at least_, not for her!_

Kenshin wanted to tell her that it's not true and that everyone has at least one good trait. He wanted to say that she's…she's…she's really not_ that_ bad once you get a closer look.

But instead, these words rolled out of his lips: "I'm sure you'd find some guy who is as pathetic as you are to like you. There's always some dork out there who's perfect for you."

Her eyes snapped up to him and the look she gave him could poison the most venomous snake!_ If she was really a snake, he would have dropped dead already._

But at the same time, she looked like she was ready to cry again…

_Smooth Kenshin_, really smooth! _He wanted to slap himself really bad! _

"That's really comforting Himura," she choked, mentally kicking herself for sounding_ so…so…so HURT! __What did she expect?_ Did she honestly thought for a moment there that after hearing all that, Kenshin would finally understand and lay off the insults- even just a little bit?_ Ha!_ Well she has just proven how this man in front of her severely lacks tact! "Now if you'll excuse me," she began to stand up from her seat, scooping up her backpack and lunch bag along with her. "I have to go before I hear the rest of your enlightening and very encouraging words of wisdom," she cracked sarcastically.

"Wait!"_ Come on! Tell her you didn't mean it! Say something to erase that guilt-wracking expression on her face!_ A voice screamed at him inside his head.

_What should I say?_

_Anything, numb nut! Just don't let her walk away without resolving things! _

"What is it?" Kaoru asked before she could completely remove herself from the bench. She was terribly weary of her companion and all she wanted was to get away from him.

"Well,"_ Think Kenshin, think! Say something positive for once!_

"I heard that Seta, that geek in math class, has a crush on you. Interested?"

_Aaaaggghhh! _

Her eyes were bulging with incredulity after hearing his statement._ Oh God can this guy be any more maddening and infuriating!_

"You are such an assho-" Kaoru was about to snap at him while waving her hands in the air in sheer exasperation, but was stopped when she felt her moving hand collide with something. She was given no time to scream when the thing that she bumped, which turned out to be a plate full of spaghetti, flew in the air and zoomed in the air then made a nose dive down, down, down towards her direction.

_'No, it's not going to fall on me!',_ she chanted in her head._ 'Kamiya move! Dodge it! Do something!'_

Apparently, she was too much in a daze to heed the voice in her head and the spaghetti landed with a sick 'kerplop' on top of her head. What ensued was a deafening silence around the school courtyard as everyone's attentions are suddenly riveted in her direction.

Kaoru closed her eyes, unable to bear the sheer mortification of the situation. She could feel her cheeks reddening to the same shade of the spaghetti sauce. For a while, there was only silence save for the tension that crackled in the air.

It was only broken by one ugly sound…one traitorous sound…

_And it came from Kenshin!_

Her eyes snapped open and she turned her head at his direction only to see him stifling his laughter. When he couldn't contain it anymore, he let loose a really loud series of chuckles that was carried freely by the wind to all the corners of that school.

He wanted to stop but couldn't._ He just can't help himself. It was way, way, way too funny to resist!_

It was all the encouragement needed by the rest of the students. As soon as the other kids saw that Kenshin, Mr. Popular himself was laughing, they all followed suit. Wave after wave of laughter reverberated around the place, drowning Kaoru's ears, stinging her eyes and warming her cheeks even more. Even the girl who was holding the spaghetti earlier had joined in the merriment.

_Oh God! _

Her hands shook and her lips began to tremble. Already, a tear has slithered down her pale cheeks but no one took notice. With shaking fingers, she removed the mess from her hair and began to back away.

"K-Kamiya wait!" Kenshin wheezed, his tummy aching from the humor of the situation. "Hey wait!" he tried to compose himself but with little success.

Kaoru cringed at the sight of him_, so happy in her expense_. She wiped her tears with the base of her palms and turned away to leave. But before she could run away a hand clamped down on her arm, stopping her completely. "Hey Kamiya listen,"_ it was Kenshin_. He was quick to stand up and stop her when he sensed that she was going to run away. "Come on, have a little sense of humor here!"

She didn't answer_. Why bother?_ He is too self-absorbed and cruel and horrible and nasty to understand her misery anyway.

"Let me go," she replied quietly instead.

"What? What did you say?" he couldn't fully comprehend her voice above all the racket so he shouted to the still-laughing crowd, "HEY SHUT UP ALREADY! JOKE'S OVER!"

_Amazing the power that this boy wields_, Kaoru noted when the noise quickly died down at his command. He returned his attention to her once when he was satisfied that no one else seems to be looking at them anymore, "Kamiya…you were saying?"

_Great question!_ She wanted to shout a million obscenities at him (is there a million obscenities in the English language by the way?), she'd even make up some if she didn't reach the quota! She wanted to yell, scream, screech, bellow, holler (you get the picture) all of her hatred for him!_ Consequences be damned!_

But she opted for something far more simple and dignified.

She raised her palm…_and slapped him for the second time!_

**OoooOoooOoooOoooO **

_Consequences be damned… _

It didn't seem like such a foolish thing at first_. I was mad, humiliated, and indignant at the time, so really what I did was normal under such circumstances._ I didn't care what would happen; at the time all I could think about was how I hate him so much and that he deserved what I did to him!

But thinking back, is it really worth all this trouble now?

I stared listlessly, sighing at my open locker. The day was ending and for the first time in my life I was not too happy about it.

_You know you've gone on the deep end when you start feeling sorry that school is over… Really sad…_

I've been walking around on pins and needles throughout the day, dreading that Kenshin would come out at any time and demand himself out of our deal. _That would be just like him too_. Hurting me in the worst possible way as payback to what I did earlier. He knew only too well how much this play means to me…

_Stress, stress, stress!_ I don't need this!

I closed my locker and almost jumped with surprise when I saw Himura standing right next to me, his face previously hidden by the open locker door._ Was I that engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't realize that someone was standing next to me?_ Oh no, oh no, what is he going to do to me?

He was casually leaning on his side at the locker next to mine, with arms folded and his face grim. He stared at my anxious face and snapped, "Wipe that look from your face! I'm a man of my word so rest assured that, though sorely tempted to do so after what you did at lunch, I'm not withdrawing from our agreement."

He said the word 'our agreement' like he's going to puke at it_. But hey, everything about me makes him puke so what's new?_

The good news is that he's not going to hightail it and leave me cold on the contract!_ Whoopeee_! What did I do for God to give me such an incredibly good luck? I let out a sigh of relief and even managed to smile a bit. "Well that's good," I answered.

Suddenly, Himura advanced towards me and pinned me between his body and the locker stalls behind me. His hands are planted firmly on the locker doors, trapping my head in the process.

I suddenly realized that there are other forms of punishment that he could inflict on me. After all,_ there's more than one way to skin a cat._

_Oh crap! _Why did I thank God so soon? 

My heart began to race with fear as I remembered how terrifying Kenshin could be when he's really agitated. I began to blush furiously at such close proximity with him and my knees began to tremble with terror. "Not…good?" I asked in the teensiest, tiniest voice.

The corner of his lips formed a devious smirk seeing me so intimidated, "What have I told you about slapping me and making me look like a fool in front of everyone? Kaoru Kamiya…"

_Whoa!_ He knows my first name!_ Weird…_

_Well maybe not so weird._ After all, I know his first name too even though I loathe him with every bone of my body._ What's strange is that he actually called me by my given name…_

His breath fanned my face and it made my skin crawl._ Gross!_ I know the guy smelled of fresh mint and the most sensuous-smelling aftershave that could turn a girl into a giggling idiot_, but it's still gross!_ In fact, everything about Kenshin Himura freaks me out and vice versa.

"Could you, like, well you know, maybe let go of me now?" I queried meekly, trying to push one of his arms away from the locker front. It was a puny and pathetic attempt, like a fly pushing a boulder, so naturally it didn't work.

"I let you off with a warning last time Kamiya," he hissed dangerously. "Obviously, that wasn't enough…"

I scanned the halls for anyone, anything that can save me from Himura's wrath!

_Yeah right, like anyone would really stand up to someone like Kenshin just to save a nobody like me!_

"What's going on here?"

I never thought I could be so happy to see Vice Principal Yamagata in all my life! I was so grateful to him for interrupting this ugly situation that I could kiss him!

_Well maybe technically I won't do that…_ He's freaking old! But you get the picture.

Mr. Yamagata was looking extra stern and grumpy than usual as he looked at us with scrutinizing eyes, "The bell rang minutes ago Mr. Himura and…" he looked at me and it seemed like he was thinking hard to remember who I am.

_Great!_ Even the grownups here don't know me!

"Kaoru Kamiya sir," I answered dully after a while when he still couldn't grasp my name._ Boy! Some savior you are!_ "Right, right!" the grown man nodded his prim head in acknowledgement. "Well anyway," he stroked his chin to compose himself. "You two are late."

To my great joy, Himura's arms slowly slithered away from me and back to the sides of his body. Annoyance flashed briefly in his beautiful lavender eyes for being interrupted but he quickly replaced that with a smile, "Sorry sir. Just talking to my girlfriend here."

_I almost choked as soon as those words rolled out of his lips._

"Oh?" Mr. Yamagata looked like he stepped on something disgusting. "But I thought you're in good terms with the head cheer-leader Ms. Yukishiro?"

_Oh this is just dandy!_ Imagine, a school official knowing the latest gossip about the students!_ This is so not happening to me!_

Apparently, Kenshin himself was surprised too that the vice-principal knows that. It took him a while to come out with a totally suave answer, "We're…" okay, count five seconds before he continued, "Tomoe and I are just friends sir."

His tone clearly implied to the older man not to pry any longer. And amazingly, Mr. Yamagata relented to the unspoken command for he didn't say anything more about the subject._ Aaaah, the power!_

"Well…save the intimacies for later Mr. Himura, Ms Kamiya," the vice-principal coughed in a dignified way. "Now both of you get to your classes or it's the detention!"

And with that, vice-principal walks away…

_Hey wait! Oh no! I'm going to be left alone with, with, with- _

_Come back sir Yamagata! _

"I-I should be going," I started to back away from him once we were alone again.

He shrugged, "We have the same last period, remember?"

_Actually, I was more than happy to forget about that little fact but now that you reminded me…_

"Come on," he gripped my elbow and pulled me along. "I don't want to get detention!"

His touch was so cold and firm that I couldn't help but shiver. "Is there some uncanny, cosmic, universal, gravely imperative reason why you have to hold me while we're walking to class?" I asked, wanting him to remember his loathing for me so that he'd let go.

He gave me a strange look, "Did you forget your brain at home today or something?"

_I think I forgot my sanity there too! _

"Uhhh…?"_ Witty, really witty Kaoru!_

He sighed exasperatedly, "We're supposed to be 'an item' remember? Geez Kamiya! It was you who wanted to do this!"

_Oh right, right! _

I ignored his frustration when a thought suddenly occurred to me, "So you're really going through with this?" I asked dumbly.

The way Kenshin stopped to stare at me clearly told me what was on his mind in big, block letters: _'DUH!'_

_Only guys don't say 'duh' so I guess he just made a point to show it to me instead._

"Even after I slapped you?"_ You just couldn't well leave it alone now, could you Kaoru!_

"I didn't say that I forgive you for that," he retorted frostily.

_Fine! I'm not asking for _your _forgiveness _anyway, _jackass!_

"Just consider yourself saved for the time being. Your punishment will come later…"

_That's rrreeeaaalllyyy encouraging! _

We were nearing the door to our classroom and I can already see the back of our Art teacher, Mr. Hanya, lecturing the class. Kenshin was about to reach for the doorknob when I pulled him back. He turned his head to give me an impatient and questioning look, "What now Kamiya!"

I eyed him hesitantly, my gaze dropping to the floor unable to voice out my apprehension. He tapped his foot edgily and forced my chin with his index and middle finger upwards so ours eyes would meet, "Out with it!"

"I'm not sure if, if, if…"_ I'M NOT SURE IF I COULD ACT LIKE SOMEONE ROMANTICALLY INTERESTED IN YOU IN FRONT OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHEN YOU ARE SUCH AN ARROGANT DOOFUS!_

Naturally, I didn't say that out loud to him_. I don't have a death wish okay!_

_Er, technically I do have a death wish. But I'll save suicide until I become a successful actress…_

Thankfully, Himura is pretty sharp and he got the gist of it without me having to complete the sentence. He exhaled heavily and pointed out, "Just follow my lead okay? Nothing can go wrong with me in charge!"

And with that cocky declaration, he pushed the classroom door open.

"You're late Mr. Himura and Ms. Kamiya!"

"Yes sir and we're sorry-" I started to apologize while Kenshin gave our teacher a bored look.

"Go to detention!"

"Pardon?"

"Don't make me repeat myself!"

"B-but!"

**OoooOoooOoooOoooO **

Kenshin slipped the headset to his ears as he prepared to zone out with his music. Just one seat beside him, Kaoru was frowning and feeling extremely put out.

"Come on," she pleaded. "It's boring here in detention. Let me borrow the other earpiece."

"Nooo," he drawled to infuriate her even more and even turned around so now she's facing his back. "I don't care if you're bored! The music doesn't have the same impact if I share one of the earpieces to someone. Go away!"

"Please?" she tapped his back vigorously but he shooed her hand away without looking. "Leave me in peace!" he snapped.

"Some boyfriend you are," she muttered as she folded her arms to her chest in indignation. But he wasn't listening to her anymore as Kenshin turned up the volume in full blast to drown out Kaoru's constant complaining.

Kaoru huffed and faced the blackboard angrily._ Fine! She can spend the remaining hour staring at nothing! She doesn't need his iPod to entertain herself!_

She decided to take out a pencil and a piece of paper and scribble or draw something instead. She's no Picasso or anything but she can be pretty decent, especially when she's inspired.

_And right now, the image of a bloody and headless Kenshin Himura is filling her veins with heady adrenaline!_

She was stopped from rummaging her backpack when the door of the detention room opened with a really creepy _'creak'_. She looked up in time to see a tall boy come in with confident strides.

_It was like a dream…_

Kaoru's breath was caught in her throat the moment her eyes met his. The tall, quite lanky guy with ebony hair, slightly gaunt cheeks and square jaw was wearing nothing more but a loose white shirt, frayed jeans and scuffed chucks. His hair was a bit long and quite untamed and he has this bad boy aura with him. He looked like one of those_ rebel-without-a-cause_ kind of guys: definitely a bad boy with a capital B!

And yet, one look_… Just one look_ and that's all it took for Kaoru's heart to jump and pound in her chest. One look to melt her knees and make her lips quiver.

She blushed furiously when she realized that she'd been staring. She lowered her gaze on the heavily vandalized desk and cursed herself for looking like an idiot in front of this really, really hot guy. She gripped the piece of paper on her desk, shredding it to bits because of anxiety.

"Hey…"

Kaoru didn't comprehend immediately at first that the guy who just entered the room was standing in front of her. That's why she almost jumped from her seat when she heard his voice calling her.

Meekly, she looked up at his tall frame, "Yes?" she strained her neck to see his head._ (Yes people, he is THAT tall!)_

His expression remained serious, but it softened a bit when he replied coolly, "Could I borrow that pen for a while?" he pointed at her blue ballpen lying askew on top of her desk._ How did that get there?_ She was about to wonder out loud, but then she remembered that while pillaging her bag for a pencil, she carelessly threw a few of her stuff on top of the table, not minding what it is.

"S-sure!" she croaked, eagerly picking up the pen to hand it to him. "Thanks," he nodded and then turned away to sit at the chair across from where she is.

Kaoru sighed,_ even his back is perfect…_

Wait!_ Since when did she start liking people's backs?_

"He is so out of your league," out of the blue a voice behind her whispered ominously. "Yipe!" she almost jumped again when she felt Kenshin so near her. "W-what are you talking about?" she feigned innocence.

Kenshin removed the headset and rolled his eyes at her. "His name is Aoshi Shinomori," he informed her instead in a hushed voice. They were both looking at the newcomer now and thankfully he was too busy writing something to mind or notice them. "He eats little girls like you for breakfast you know…"

"Big bad wolf?" she joked, using his metaphor. Kaoru turned to look at Aoshi's profile once more and murmured breathlessly, "He doesn't seem so dangerous to me…"

Now for some really bizarre reason, Kenshin found himselfreally annoyed to see Kaoru looking so dreamily at the Shinomori punk. He didn't want to acknowledge the foreign feeling that was washing over him as he watched Kaoru ogle the undeniably handsome Aoshi.

_Jealous?_ A voice teased in his head.

_Hell no! _

_Yeah sure pal!_ The voice mocked him._ Then why are so angry?_

_I'm not angry dammit! I just can't believe that she'd like that…that… _He took one disgusted look at Shinomori's cluttered fashion._ That, that bum!_

_Why would you care that she'd like a bum?_ The evil voice was practically dancing in his head while laughing at his confusion._ You always say that she deserve someone equally pathetic?_

He wanted to pull his eyelashes with frustration._ Why are these thoughts in my head anyway!_ _She can't fall in love with someone else because that would jeopardize their mission, ok? End of discussion!_

_Yeah, suuuurrreee pal…_ the voice drawled insultingly in his head.

_Shut up!_

_Just admit it!_

_Admit what? There's nothing to admit evil voice!_

_Yeah, keep telling that to yourself and one day you just might believe it!_

_Get out of my head you stupid voice!_

_Oh-kay…but I'll be baaaaccckkk,_ the voice disappeared slowly, trailing off in a singsong tone.

_Aaargh!_ He's not jealous or anything like that! Why would he? It's Kamiya for Pete's sake!_ She can swoon over anyone she likes and it would be a cold day in hell before he'd care!_

Kaoru didn't catch the conflicting emotions playing over his face though, herself being too rapt in staring (through hey eyelashes) at the newcomer. She sighed wistfully without realizing it.

"He's not THAT handsome," he muttered.

She just sighed in response and it only irritated Kenshin more.

"Well even if he's not dangerous. What makes you think that he'd notice you?"he retorted nastily when he was finally able to compose himself.

To his delight, he succeeded in getting through her this time and she bowed her head, looking disheartened. "S-so?" she stuttered. "I-I don't care! Besides, I didn't say I like him," she still tried to deny even though they both know it's futile.

"And even if you do, he still won't be interested in you!" he sneered. The look on her face was priceless as she was torn between bitter hurt and unbridled anger over the insult. "You really enjoy belittling me, don't you?" she whispered in a croaky voice.

He even had the gall to smile, "It's what I live for."

Her eyes narrowed at him as she hissed, "You seriously need a hobby Himura. Something aside from torturing me!"

"Hey..."

She abruptly turned around to eagerly face the one who just spoke up to her. Kaoru blushed when she realized how super enthusiastic and automatic her reaction was to Aoshi's voice._ How dumb did that look?_

His hand was outstretched from across the aisle as he held out something. With just the slightest hint of a smile (or was it a smirk?) he drawled, "Thanks for the pen…"

Kaoru kept her eyes averted to the floor, still blushing furiously as she reached out to take it. She almost gasped out loud when she felt his big, calloused hand brush her fingers lightly for a split second_. She couldn't understand why she's feeling this way and she wanted to kick herself so hard for being stupid!_

Kenshin on the other hand was getting more and moreannoyed as he looked at Kaoru's flushed cheeks._ Why is she going gaga over this guy!_ This is so stupid! The Kaoru Kamiya he knew was never interested with men! He always knew that for he made a point to know about that aspect in her life._ So why Aoshi! What's so special about him?_

_I think someone's getting a little je-_ the voice in his head started to chant once more.

_Leave me alone or else! _

"What's your name by the way?" Aoshi asked, opening the opportunity for a conversation. He was looking at Kaoru so seriously but with just a trace of gentleness in his voice to encourage her that he's actually expecting an answer.

She could feel his penetrating gaze and knew that he'd think she's rude if she didn't answer. Her voice was quaking with nervousness so she only managed to peep out, "K-Kaoru…"

"Kaoru," it sounded like he was tasting her name in his mouth when he uttered it. "That's a really nice name."

_Oh please!_ Kenshin was rolling his eyes._ Of all the lamest thing to say-_

"Thanks," Kaoru whispered, smiling a bit even though her head was still bent.

_And you believe him?_ Kenshin wanted to scoff at her and gag her._ Damn virgin! Doesn't know when a guy's just pulling her leg!_

"I'm Aoshi by the way," he held out his right hand to shake.

She almost said, "I know" automatically but thankfully stopped herself in time before she'd make a fool out of herself again. Now with an invitation like that, it's impossible to accept it and keep her eyes lowered without being rude. She had no choice but to raise her eyes while she accepted his hand, "You have a nice name too Aoshi…"

_What a lame conversation!_ Kenshin thought grudgingly._ Next thing you'll know, they'll start envying the names given to the different toe fingers!_

The corners of Aoshi's lips lifted just a bit to form a small, reserved smile, "It's really nice meeting you Kaoru. Andto think I almost didn't come to detention today because I thought it's going to be just a waste of time…"

_Aren't you going to let go yet?_ Kenshin's left brow rose while watching their clasped hands. He looked at his wristwatch and scowled at Kaoru's smile._ I never saw her smile like that before…it's actually kinda-_

_No don't say it! Don't think of it! Don't even look at her lips!_

Kaoru was in cloud nine as she stared at Aoshi's deep-set eyes. Nothing could ruin the moment for her. She was in her own little world and Aoshi seemed equally engrossed at looking at her too._ Aaaahhh bliss…_

Alas, it was over too soon when out of the blue she felt Kenshin's arm sling over her shoulders while he stretched his hand to shake Shinomori's. "Hey there! Name's Kenshin Himura, nice meeting you too Aoshi!"

Her skin crawled at their contact and she wanted to wail at him to remove his arm from her body! In fact, she turned her head just to tell him that, but the moment her eyes met Himura's, she was stopped cold by the iciness in those usually mischievous lavender depths.

_Whoa, scary! Why does his eyes look as if it can freeze hell? What's up with him?_

"Riiiight…" Aoshi reluctantly freed his hand from Kamiya's to receive Kenshin's outstretched one. "You two friends?"

She opened her lips to disprove that but she was prevented to do so when Himura secretly squeezed her shoulder hard as he replied with a smile, "Oh we're more than that!" He gave her a cheeky grin, "We're going steady…"

_She never wanted to see Kenshin Himura dead as much as she did that moment!_

"O-oh," the slight quiver in Shinomori's voice was almost imperceptible but Kenshin caught it and he smirked. "That's…that's nice, you're lucky to have her." Aoshi hid his disappointment well.

"Yeah I know," Kenshin beamed at him and turned to face Kaoru to _'hug'_ her closer. Kaoru scowled at him and placed her left arm in between their chests so he won't be able to press his body on hers. He frowned at her aloofness but quickly replaced it with a cocky grin as he returned his attention to Shinomori. "But it also works the other way around, you know. She's also lucky to have me," Kenshin added smugly.

_She wanted to pummel him to the ground!_

"Well," Aoshi hesitated. "You look good together…"

_She wanted to retch!_

"You really think so?" Kenshin smiled. "Isn't that wonderful honey? Aoshi thinks we're a match made in heaven," he averted his gaze to Kaoru who was turning scarlet with embarrassment and indignation.

"I think I'll go to the men's washroom for a while," Aoshi began to stand up, mistaking Kaoru's blushing to romantic giddiness. "See you later."

_No! Don't leave me with this pervert!_ Kaoru mentally howled at her newfound friend. Unfortunately, Aoshi is not gifted with psychic powers so he wasn't able to read or hear her tortured message.

"Later!" Kenshin even made a two-finger salute at the retreating Shinomori. The moment they both heard the door close behind Aoshi, Kaoru quickly jumped away from Himura's clutches as if she was just touched by someone with a contagious disease. She threw dagger-like stares at him and cried out in a voice short of a yell, "Why the hell did you do that!"

Kenshin grinned wickedly at her and shrugged, "Honey what are you talking about? Have you forgotten that this is what two madly in love people are supposed to do?"

"Don't!" she raised her index finger while looking away and cringing with disgust. "Don't call me honey when there's only the two of us around. Its nauseating!"

He gave her a mock-pitying look as he leaned over and laid his chin on top of his knuckles, "Awww, it's no walk in the park for me either Kamiya 'honey'." He watched with glee when Kaoru shuddered once more when he uttered the 'H' word. "But if we want for this little joke of a charade to be a success, we have to make our performance as realistic as possible. So if I'm calling you 'honey', what should you call me?" he asked, still teasing her.

"How about 'barfy-dearest'?" she snapped at him. "I can't believe that I'm stuck pretending to be in love with an oxymoron like you for a month!" she waved her hands in the air in exasperation. "What a really dumb thing to do! I wish you didn't do all that just to annoy me! But knowing you-"

"I did all that to annoy Aoshi," he corrected her.

"Wwwwwwhhhaaatttt?"

He shrugged and gave her a maddening smirk, "Hey! Can't let anyone steal my girl now,if you know what I mean…"

She stuck her tongue out as if she's gonna puke, "This is making me ill! Besides, Aoshi is not interested with me, you know! So why bother?" she added bitterly.

_Sad. Poor ignorant virgin._ Kenshin mused to himself._ She couldn't even tell when a guy is hitting on her…_

_Well he can't really blame her._ It probably doesn't happen often enough for her to recognize the signals…

"And to think I'll endure that attitude of yours for a month," she was holding her forehead as if in pain.

"You could always give up you know," he suggested slyly. "I mean it's just a stupid play…"

"Are you mad?" she eyed him incredulously. "It's not just a stupid play and I'll never give up!" she said with strong resolve. "Never, ever, ever for never will I quit!"

"Well then," he slammed his palms cheerfully on the desk as he stood up. "That settles it then. We'll continue this little agreement and we'll do the best that we can! Understood?"

"Of course!" she met his piercing gaze with a determined tilt of her chin.

"And you know what that means?" he suddenly lowered his voice as he advanced towards her.

"W-what?" she backed away from him, suddenly apprehensive by that mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He managed to back her up onto a wall and pin her there with his two hands planted firmly behind her. His face was only a few inches awayand she was reminded of the times when Kenshin would trap her in this manner whenever she did something to infuriate him.

Her heart started beating a frenzied rhythm at the scary thought that he's going to punish her or something.

"It means that you better start calling me darling and," his eyes traveled lazily all over her face, taking note of her unappealing glasses, her unattractive metal braces, that pert little nose and rebellious, pouty lips._ What would she look like if she fixed herself up and removed all those unsightly contraptions on her face?_ "And that you are not allowed to associate with the likes of a bad boylike Aoshi Shinomori, got it?"

She turned away, her face rebellious._ Just tryand stop me._

"Can't afford to lose my 'girlfriend' to that playboy now, can I?"

Eyes still averted, she hissed, "You're losing your touch if you did,."It was meantas an insult. But to Kenshin, it sounded like a challenge and he replied in a low, confident voice, "Don't worry..." He gazed at her lips longer than what was necessary. "I won't."

"Also," Kenshin used his index and middle finger to push her cheek so that she'd look at him again. "It also means that you better stop shivering like a scared rat whenever I'm near you if you really want to convince people that you're in love with me."

"I can't help it," she muttered. "You scare me…"

He smirked at that, "It's what I live for."

"And I told you, you seriously need another hobby," she sniffed crossly at him.

"Then let's make 'this' my hobby. It might even help you remove your fear of me bit by bit…"

Kaoru was about to ask what he meant but was stopped when he suddenly leaned over, closer to her.

And before she could stop it_, Kenshin had already closed the distance between their faces and sealed her lips in a gentle, but firm kiss…_

**OoooOoooOoooOoooO **

_A/N: Waaaahhhh long chapter! Sorry if I bored you guys to death! So I won't bore you any longer with any of my useless prattle for here it is now: The **R**eader **R**eload!_

_Replies for chapter 1 and 2 (only questions and uncommon reactions for now)_

**CryingOro- **Sorry if I wasn't able to update immediately but I think the length more than makes up for it! Well Tomoe hasn't found out yet in this chapter since it's only the second day. Expect to be surprised by chapter 3 though hehehehe Thanks for reading!

**Klakika- **Does he have feelings for her……………hmmm………..maybe………..? (:P)

**Celest4- **Mabuti naman ako, salamat sa pagtanong. My computer is finally fixed!(:D) And don't worry, I haven't forgotten Love 4 Sale. Yeah definitely they have chemistry! I'll update that fic next! Thanks for reading! (Hugs Liezel)

**Phi-Dono- **Aaahhh…my super kawaii reader, your reviews always make me laugh and giggle! It's still a little too early to say how long this story will run chapter-wise. Just hang around and watch how things develop, okay? Thanks for your support!

**Kitsune55- **I'm glad that your opinion for this fic changed on chapter 2. At first, I was worried that I offended one of my readers but I'm relieved that you liked the story now. Please keep on reading and thanks for giving this fic another chance! As for 'Love by Mistake', don't worry I'll get on to it as soon as I finish the next chapter for 'Love for Sale'. Hope you don't mind the wait.

**Irulan 24- **Thanks for answering my question about the Royal Shakespeare Company! Sure would love to watch one of their productions.

**Kenjiniki- **Elow ate gen! I understand that you can't review pa kasi you're expecting something very important in your life right now. I do hope I could be there to see this joy come into your life. So what inspired me with this one? I originally planned to make this an original fiction (to post it in fictionpress) but decided that I have more fun visualizing the characters as the Kenshingumi. Well that really didn't answer your question, did it? I can't remember anymore what inspired me this story. I've been thinking about this plot since I was in sixth grade (and only now that I'm in college did I get around to writing it).

You're right big sis: Kaoru's suicidal phase, I think, applies to all teenagers that went through that stage.

About Kenshin's true feelings…………………..well, can't go revealing anything this early in the story now, can I? (;D)

Don't worry, Kaoru WILL shine…but not at the moment that you people expect…

**De Lazy Lime- **Hey there stranger! I missed your reviews (:D) Don't worry about Tomoe, he ain't breaking up with her. Read on to find out how they'll deal with the situation. Really? You like college better than high school because of the tiresome drama of the latter? Well we're opposites on that but, well…(shrugs) Anyway, good to hear from you again! Sorry if this reply sounds brain-dead, my hand is shaking and I think I'm going to suffer carpal tunnel much sooner than later because of the abuse I'm inflicting on my hands. Don't worry! My updates will be a bit faster now because our computer is finally fixed!

**Lendra-chan- **I'm really glad you like it! Soweee, gomen-ne if you were offended that I didn't personalize my reply to you in 'Love by Mistake' (or was that love4sale?). I assure you that I love all my reviewers and that I value all their opinion, no matter how short or frank!

**Reignashii- **Don't worry about Tomoe. It's taken care of in the next chapter. Yeah it sux when friends do that, you know, abandon you for greener pastures or something (yup, I've experienced that…). Thanks again for reading!

**Khmer Moon Blossoms- **What's a Khmer? Really cute pen name there. (:D) Don't worry, love 4 sale will be updated next!

_And to the rest, thank you ever so much! _**(Kik-ting, Jisusaken, albaloo, nilnil, crasyducky, Imana, rocker, Kaoru4, Ruronichik13, GranolaBar, kenshinlover2002, Ochanoko, Kenshinnokh, Pika356, anti girly, abubi-chan, Dark-Wolf91, Sorrow's Raven, Crystal Winds, Forgotten-Heart) **_Hope I didn't forget anyone. Anyway, 'till then ciao, ciao!_


	4. a compromise of sorts

﻿ **_(I did this fic in terrible haste so I know I have grammar/spelling mistakes here and there, so please bear with me for the time being. I'll post this first and then edit it later after I've taken some coffee and finished my assignments...)_**

_It was my worst nightmare come to life!_

Damn Kenshin with his damning good looks and damning fresh breath was slowly inching his face towards mine. My fingers itched to pull him away from me- but couldn't do so due to the fact that my skin and everything else (including common sense) turned frozen-numb with anxiety at the impending doom. His lips hovered above mine for a while, slightly hesitant at what he was about to do (much to my relief). Unfortunately, this period of uncertainty was short-lived, and he proceeded with his advance just the same.

My stomach turned to ice at the moment of the contact. I shut my eyes and my hands fisted on my sides. There was a mix of emotion,_ some I couldn't name_, that was slightly heady and at the same time stomach churning_. It was nothing I've ever felt before in my entire life!_

A thought occurred in my mind: the fact that I'll have to be used to these acts of 'affection' from him was downright unthinkable!_ And a whole month!_ My mind screamed at the idea._ Oh no!_

It seemed like forever, when in reality the kiss only lasted for a split second. Because right at the moment that Kenshin's lips touched mine, another bombshell hit me in the form of my ex-best friend Tomoe barging inside the detention room. She was so eager and excited that she didn't even notice that Kenshin and I instantly recoiled and jumped away from each other the moment she came in.

"Hey guys," wearing her blue and white cheerleading uniform, Tomoe looked too hyper and too giddy for my electrified nerves as she greeted us. "I heard you two got detention so I came straight here after class, that is, before I go to cheering practice." She was literally bouncing up and down the walls of that room, and it was all I could do to keep my temper and my hand from slapping her silly.

"Oh-kay…" I replied in a slow voice. "So?"

"Oh Kaoru," she giggled as she moved towards me and held my hands. "Kenshin told me about the plan and I am so totally into it! I'm going to help you two to the utmost of my abilities!"

I was almost more surprised that she used the word 'utmost' more than the fact that she knew 'our' plan (whatever it was). While she was still swinging my hands back and forth, I was already throwing her puzzled, questioning looks. "Know…?" I muttered out loud. "Know about…what exactly?" I queried suspiciously.

"Silly!" Tomoe grinned mischievously. "About Mr. Okina's condition for you and my Kenshin to convince everyone that the two of you are in love, of course! What else?"

I gawked at her for a few minutes before realization set in. My head instantly swiveled to Himura's direction as I cried out, "You told her!"

At least he had the decency to look sheepish as he ducked his head in the other direction, completely avoiding my eyes.

"I can't believe you told her!" I exploded when his silence only affirmed the situation. I ignored Tomoe's hasty explanations and stepped up towards Himura. "Tell me, is there anyone else who knows about this that I need to know?" I folded my arms to my chest in indignation.

"Kamiya," he sighed wearily before finally staring back. "You couldn't possibly hold this against me! Tomoe is my girlfriend and for me to break up with her for no valid reason is really…"

I pouted, "Okina-sensei told you specifically not to tell anyone!" I gritted my braces-filled teeth in annoyance. "What if he finds out about this and forfeits the-"

"But he won't!" my ex-best friend quickly interjected as she placed herself between Kenshin and me. "Please Kaoru-chan! I promise no one else will know. I'll even act like the perfectly dumped lover and pretend to hate your guts throughout the time you two are expected to act like lovers. Besides," she turned to Kenshin with an enticing smile. "Can you really bear the thought that I'll see you two all lovey-dovey without knowing the truth?"

I almost gagged at the word she used._ Lovey-dovey?_

Tomoe continued, "-I'll hate him if I he didn't tell me the truth…"

"And you know what?" I cut through her ramblings in a cold voice. "My mom is already hating me right now when she found out that I was associating myself with the likes of him! But you don't see me doing_ something_-" at this I turned a sharp stare at Himura, "-that will totally jeopardize the whole mission!"

Kenshin pursed his lips and looked away. I waited for his apology (or just something even_ remotely_ similar to that) as I tapped my foot on the floor in vigorous beats. After a while, he raised his eyes to level with mine and gave me a determined gaze, "There's another reason why I told Tomoe…"

_No!_ I wanted to retort.

Kenshin raised his eyebrow at my disbelieving expression. "Tomoe could help us with this whole pretending game and give us feedback, not only hers but what she'll hear regarding the opinion of other people about our 'relationship' thing," he made the quotation sign with his fingers. "Because you have to admit," he pursued. "We need outside opinion and help right now. Judging by the way our first day 'together' turned out, I think out of a thousand or less students and inhabitants of Seirin High, we managed to convince zero to none people that we're an item."

_We need help...?_

I'm not dumb_. I know that!_

Honestly, at first I thought it would be easy to act enamored with him._ Too bad I underestimated my deep revulsion for him._

I knew he was right, but I was not willing to admit it- yet.

"Kaoru?" my ex-best friend prompted when seconds passed and I failed to answer. I sighed resignedly in defeat and shrugged, "I guess…there's no reversing things anyway."

At this, the tension on Himura's face was broken and he smiled in relief while Tomoe squealed in happiness as she hugged me tight in her arms.

_I guess there's nothing more we could do about it really…_ In a way it made sense. Besides,_ why would Kenshin destroy his good relationship with Tomoe (by keeping this deal a secret to her) just to help me?_ And you could say there's really no harm if only one person (aside from Mr. Okina) who knows about this.

Maybe Himura and I DO need help. And I guess I have to admit that Tomoe will be perfect for the role…

After Kenshin and I served our time, Tomoe decided to excuse herself from her cheering practice for just a few hours. She led Kenshin and me to the city park where she scolded, trained, and scolded us some more about how couples should act towards each other. By the end of the day, Tomoe was flailing her arms in the air in frustration because we accomplished absolutely nothing. Before Tomoe left us to go back to school for her cheer practice, she instructed us to keep on training without her.

Without Tomoe though, the situation only turned from bad to worse because Kenshin and I ended up arguing about almost ANYTHING and EVERYTHING! In the end, we parted ways to go to each other's homes in dark, terrible moods.

My heart sank as I dropped my body on top of my pristine white bed._ We were going nowhere fast._ Is there really a chance that we could pull this off?

Himura and I hate each other too much…

With just a touch of despair, my consciousness slinked away to oblivion as I fell asleep with these thoughts in my mind.

* * *

_Next day was ultimately weird for me…_

People were staring at me as I entered the thresholds of Seirin High. Girls were either throwing me deadly looks or admiring ones (although there were more of the former than the latter), while guys simply gave me a mix of puzzled, confused gaze.

I self-consciously touched my ponytail if it was in place. I looked down at my boring black, sleeveless t-shirt, long denim skirt and white sneakers if something was amiss._ Do I have something stuck between my teeth? Is there toilet paper trailing behind me?_ I checked for any inconsistency in my otherwise dreary, usual ensemble and noted that there was nothing out of the ordinary_. SO why are all these people giving me 'the look'?_

I approached my locker and automatically turned the locker combination without even an ounce of premonition about what was coming._ Too late!_ The moment I opened my locker door, something wet and slimy exploded on my face, drenching my cheeks, my bangs, the front of my shirt and dripping onto my sneakers. I turned away with my mouth wide open in shock as I tried to shake off whatever that gunk was on my face and arms.

Around me, students began to snicker and laugh insultingly at my ridiculous appearance. My eyes started to sting with impending tears as humiliation colored my neck and face._ Who could've done this?_ I mentally wailed. But instead of voicing this out, all I managed out was a choked cry while I wiped myself dry with my handkerchief.

"Did you like the surprise?" a voice silkily asked me from behind.

In that situation, one is expected to whirl around and face the bearer of the voice angrily, demanding an explanation or such. But in my situation, being the small, pathetic person that I am, I even squeaked (yes, squeaked, Oh Lord why didn't you just strike me at the very spot for such abomination) in surprise before slowly turning around to see who it was behind me.

I met a pair of jade colored eyes paired with a smirk. Those eyes and ruby-red lips were attached to a beautiful face and lithe body belonging to none other but…

I gasped when I recognized one of the most popular girls in Seirin High (rivaling Tomoe by a small margin) Megumi Takani staring down hard at me. I wanted to shrink away to nothingness because of the degrading way she assessed my appearance.

"Nice bath?" she cocked an eyebrow at me. "Come on don't be shy. I know it's an especially rare treat for someone as unkempt as you."

People were roaring with laughter around me._ Oh God no…_ Public humiliation was something I'm never really good at handling_, especially when I'm the one at the receiving end of the abuse._ I could feel the first few tears sting my eyes before slithering down my smeared cheeks. Megumi held her face and pretended to look aghast. "Oh no!" she cooed. "The baby is crying, ooh someone is going to be in so much trouble!"

At this, she threw her head back and joined the rest of the throng in their laughter. I swallowed perceptibly and forced myself to stop my tears from flowing so freely._ Damn my impulse to cry at every single problem I encounter!_

_Toughen up!_ In one of the deepest, darkest recesses of my mind, I could hear Himura's usual crack about me reverberate and echo ominously, painfully in my head. I shakily went back to my locker and tried to remove the remnants of the water balloon that soaked my notebooks and textbooks inside.

"You!"

I didn't quickly realize that Megumi had stopped laughing, and was now calling out to me. When she realized that she didn't get my attention, she slammed my locker close with one hand while the other hand landed on her hip. "Hey crybaby! Is it true that you're Kenshin Himura's new girlfriend now?" she asked snidely.

So…is this what this is all about?

I wanted to open my lips and say no –or anything that will make her back off- because people around us stopped in their tracks to listen, obviously curious themselves.

_Is this why I've been getting all those strange looks all morning?_

_Ugh!_ I should've expected an attack from one of his fans!_ What a naïve, wide-eyed dolt I am!_

_But how did they know?_ I don't remember Kenshin and I doing a 'convincing' act yesterday to make them think so… Who could've spread the word?

_Kenshin perhaps?_ After all, he started shooting his mouth off with Mr. Yamagata yesterday so maybe he told some of his friends too that we're-

"Answer me!" she grabbed my left arm in a tight grip.

"Takani."

A deep, baritone voice interrupted Megumi's embarrassing inquiry. I slowly looked around and almost fainted right there and then when my eyes met the cold, hard ones I've seen yesterday in detention._ It's him...!_

Aoshi directed a lazy gaze down at me, and my knees almost melted despite of the situation I'm currently in._ I can't help it!_ I'm totally _into_ the guy.

"Shinomori-san," a sexy smile curled on Megumi's lips as she struck a subtle pose (obviously, it's one of those supposedly 'sexy' stance that girls -like Megumi- practice for hours and hours in front of the mirror) for one of the hottest guys in Seirin High. "What can I do for you?" she asked sweetly.

Aoshi's cool expression never wavered for even a heartbeat. Instead, he raised an eyebrow at the green-eyed beauty in front of him and told her simply, coldly, "You're in my way."

"O-oh!" she stammered._ I couldn't believe it!_ Popularity queen herself Megumi Takani was_ actually_ blushing(!) as she stepped away to give Aoshi room to pass through. But before he left the scene completely, he clamped his arm over my shoulder (much to my surprise) and steered me away from the evil, green-eyed vixen. Amidst open-jawed astonishment and confused expressions, people watched Aoshi lead me away as we rounded the next corner- completely out of their sight.

As Shinomori held me, my heart was beating so fast in my ribcage that I thought it might burst. Blood pounded heavily in my temples, making me feel light-headed. His body was so close,_ so close_ that I felt like swooning.

Without realizing it, Aoshi had led me towards the football field and gently lowered me to sit down on the lowest seat of the rows and rows of white bleachers packed in that place. I looked up at him gratefully when he removed his leather jacket to drape it over my shivering form.

"Thanks," I murmured breathlessly. I tried to equal his stare, but realized I didn't have enough courage to do so and ended up bowing my head instead.

Aoshi didn't say anything._ Nor did he smile or frown at the very least._ But there was an almost noticeable kindness that flickered within the façade of hardness in his eyes. He reached over his back pocket and retrieved a white handkerchief, and then handed it over to me. I accepted it meekly and slowly dabbed my face dry with it.

There was only silence between the two of us, save for the soft rustling sound of the trees swaying in the breeze and the melodious cooing of the birds above us. I clutched the handkerchief between my sweaty palms, unable to think of anything smart or witty to say. I nervously tucked a stray strand of hair behind my left ear as I repeated my gratitude, "Thanks. I don't know what I would do if you didn't come along…"

"You shouldn't let people treat you like that," was his detached -if not almost bored- response.

_I've heard that one before._ I snuggled deeper inside his jacket and murmured something akin to, "I know I should, but…"

"You shouldn't expect other people to always be there to help you," he cut through my thoughts in a coldly rational voice.

At this, irritation shot through my head and I wasn't able to stop myself from snapping at him._ People should really stop lecturing me about my weakness. I hate it myself!_ "I didn't ask for your help!" I huffed out indignantly and faced away from him.

After a few seconds passed without any words between us. I realized how terribly rude I acted and decided to apologize. "I don't know why you bothered to help me anyway," I started slowly in a humble voice. "But I'm still thankful though…"

I bit my lower lip when Aoshi didn't respond._ Is he mad at me?_ I fretted mentally._ I don't want things to be unpleasant between us. He, he, he…_

_He matters..._

_...a little too-_

_-much...!_

Suddenly, Aoshi abruptly stood up on his feet and skipped down the first few steps of the bleachers. He stood still for a few seconds along the racetrack that circled the field, obviously contemplating about something really deeply. In his position, I was able to assess his body fully without restraint. He was wearing a tight-fitting, black, turtleneck sweater that accentuated his chiseled features, and was paired with an equally tight pair of black pants.

_I never thought a man could ever be so devastatingly sexy…_

At this, I realized I was staring at him with my mouth wide open like a turkey on a rainy day. With an embarrassed expression, I ducked my head to the other direction to hide the furious, fiery-red color that invaded my cheeks._ Great! I couldn't possibly act any dorkier than this! Good thing he didn't see me looking at him that way._

"Kaoru!"

I almost didn't want to turn around due to the vivid coloring on my face (which he'd surely notice) and the fear that he might tell me off for being such a weakling (like what Kenshin always scold me for). But there was something so subtly enticing in his voice that made me turn just the same anyway. When my eyes finally met his, I swear my breath was completely taken away by the sight of him. His eyes were still indifferent, but there was a glimmer of emotion in there…somewhere… His lips were tilted just an itty-bitty,teensy-weensy bit to the left side to form a ghost of a smile when he uttered softly, "I'll see you around."

And with that, he jogged away towards the main building of the school. My eyes followed him until his lithe form disappeared behind the large, double doors of the cafeteria back entrance... And even when I couldn't see him anymore, my eyes stayed on the spot where he was last. After some time, I finally broke away from my reverie and turned my attention to the vast, lush-green football field with a dreamy expression on my face.

_Aoshi Shinomori..._ A warm, beautiful sensation filled me up inside and I couldn't suppress the smile that tore at my lips as I clutched the jacket tighter around my body. I closed my eyes and let my heart flutter to a sleepless dream that I knew will never come true, but still wished it to be so with all of my soul,_ with all of my being..._

* * *

"Hey where have you been all day?" 

"Around…" I snapped wearily at Kenshin as I closed my locker door shut. It was the end of the day. And naturally, since I have last period with Himura, I won't be able to avoid him now like what I've been doing all morning (including my first class with him).

Next to my locker, Kenshin raised an eyebrow at my grumpy attitude. "What's with you?" he asked while he flicked away a piece of imaginary lint off his shoulder. "You're crabbier and nastier than usual," he pointed out with his usual tact. "So what's the deal?

"Gee Kenshin, since when did you start concerning yourself with my attitude?" I replied as I began to trot towards our last period classroom. He caught up with my pace and held up his arms in mock surrender. "Sor-ry! So it's a crime now to be concerned about the twisted workings of 'my' girlfriend's mind now, is that it?"

I clutched my book tighter to my chest and pursed my lips in disdain because of his words._ My girlfriend…Ugh!_ "Funny! Is that the same concern you demonstrated earlier when you didn't pick me up at my house this morning so we could go to school together?"

"And I already told you-" he heatedly answered back, "-that I went to pick up my car from the repair shop! Sheesh! What am I? Your chaperone!"

_No numb nut!_ I gritted my teeth in frustration_. But if you had been with me this morning then Megumi wouldn't have been able to pick on me and drench my dress and my locker with her juvenile water balloon stunt!_

Instead of voicing out these words, I opted to push my books hard on Kenshin's chest, accompanied with a sickeningly sweet smile, "Be a good boyfriend now and carry my books, will you?"

"Oooff!" Kenshin coughed when the wind was temporarily knocked out of his lungs due to the impact of my push. "Hey!" he wanted to protest but I was already skipping ahead of him, snickering along the way. "Wait up will you!" he yelled after me.

I stuck my tongue out at him and hastened my trot_. Truth is,_ I'm not as angry with Himura now as I had been this morning. _It's probably because of the fact that if not for him leaving me to go to school alone, then I wouldn't have had the chance to meet Shinomori-san this morning…_

I smiled at the memory and tugged at Aoshi's jacket closer to my body._ Yes I'm still wearing it. Blame me for being crazy for the boy!_

Unfortunately, Himura was able to jog up and catch me. He saw how I snuggled inside the jacket and commented, "I didn't think you were the leather-type girl who-"

"Not mine," I interrupted in an obviously blissful voice. At this, I saw Kenshin's brows knit together in confusion as he asked, "To whom does it belong to then?"

I turned my head sideways to look at him before sticking my tongue out in defiance to that domineering tone he used, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Yes, wouldn't he like to know," a voice behind us interjected.

Kenshin and I stopped in our tracks and turned around to look. My stomach instantly fell to the floor when I saw who it was. It was Megumi Takani!_ What the hell does she want now!_

"Hello Kenshin," she stepped closer and tried to entwine her arm in his. She made a point to ignore me while she cuddled to him.

"Uh, hello Takani-san," he replied politely with just a hint of puzzlement. "You say you know who owns this jacket that MY girlfriend is wearing?"

Megumi shot me a cold stare because of the way Kenshin unconsciously answered her question regarding my relationship with him. She turned a warm, seductive smile at Kenshin, subtly giving me the sharp, mental message that she's not going to quit any time soon.

"So it's true then...that your new girlfriend is this, this-!" Megumi looked like she was too disgusted to finish the sentence.

I bowed my head, unable to bear the Tanuki's cold stare._ Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic! Urgh!_

All the time this was happening, Himura was looking at Megumi queerly; obviously bewildered to where she fits in all of this.

"Kenshin we're late," I tried to pull him away from the troublesome woman. _Let go of him you vixen!_ I mentally shouted at her with a pointed look.

"What's the matter?" Takani tried to pull him back, matching my hard stare easily. "Don't you want me to tell your boyfriend about the jacket?"

At this, Kenshin shook my hand off of him and directed his questioning gaze to my rival. She smirked at me because of this. "You know who the owner of the jacket is, Takani-san?" he queried with a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

"As a matter of fact, I do. She's with Aoshi earlier," the evil vixen hissed alluringly at him. "So I'd bet you my you new Prada that the leather jacket she's wearing now belonged to Shinomori-san…"

She inched her way to put herself between Kenshin and me, thus blocking me off completely. "After all, we all know that he always wear a black leather jacket similar to the one she's wearing. And if my memory serves me right-" she tapped her temple contemplatively, "-just a few minutes earlier I saw Aoshi without it for the first time in the years that I've known him." She took a deep breath and continued with a sneer, "And surprise, surprise, Kamiya-san who never wore anything fashionable in all her life-" the green-eyed evil incarnate cast me a malicious glare, "-was suddenly wearing one…"

Kenshin's face was indescribable as he directed his annoyed, and at the same time, confused gaze at me. "You were with Aoshi!" it was more of a shout than a question..

I sighed wearily, "It's not what you think-!"

"What exactly do you think I'm thinking right now!" he hissed dangerously that almost made me jump. I took a step back, baffled why Kenshin was reacting this way._ I know he's supposed to act like a devoted boyfriend and with all the shit that comes with it._ But why do I have this odd, sick feeling about this silent fury emanating from him!

I swallowed hard, momentarily remembering the times that I have to face Kenshin's merciless wrath._ Is he going to hurt me?_ "I don't know what you think!" I cried out weakly in my defense. "But I'm sure it's nothing pleasant about me!"

_Well that's a news flash._ I sarcastically quipped in my mind.

Thankfully, before Kenshin could decide what to do with me, the school bell rang, thus signaling the start of the next class. Without looking back, I left him standing with Megumi and sprinted towards our classroom. I wanted to put as much distance between myself and that magic duo!

_If only I could tell Megumi that if he wants Kenshin, she can have him for all I care!_

_And if only I could tell Himura that it's none of his business who I hang around with!_

But as usual, I'm leaving the battlefield with my tail between my legs again...

Toughen up Kamiya!

Defend yourself!

Don't expect other people to fight your battles!

Toughen up!

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

* * *

_There's that feeling again…_

Kenshin's hands involuntarily tightened into fists at his sides as he watched Kaoru run away and enter their last period classroom. Without wholly realizing it, a tick began to form below his left eye because of irritation._ She was with Aoshi this morning._ The thought brought forth an electrifying surge of emotion that he was afraid to name or distinguish. It left his mouth dry and his heart beating fast._ She's with him this morning…!_

The fact that she was with another guy probably wouldn't have affected him so much if it wasn't Shinomori she was with!_ And damn_, he knew only too well about her apparently massive crush on the punk!

He went inside the classroom and grumpily sat down on the available seat behind Kaoru. He handed her books over so haphazardly that she almost dropped it. She shot him a_ 'what's-your-problem'_ kind of look, but he only glared in return.

_Shoot!_ He cursed under his breath as Mr. Hanya entered the classroom._ What happened to all that_ 'let's-convince-the-whole-school-that-we're-in-love-so-we-could-get-back-our-roles-in-the-school-play'_ deal?_ He wanted to lash out in frustration at her back._ She better not come crying to him if this scheme fails because of her shameless flirting with Shinomori!_

He wanted to convince himself that he's a perfectionist who always strive hard to win any gamble or dealings he made or he'll make in his life. And that the his anger at the possibility of failure because of Kaoru's obvious affection for someone else was not in any way connected or attributed to an emotional, personal level._ If people start suspecting that she's really interested with Shinomori and not him,_ he angrily thought._ Then no one will believe that he and Kaoru are really in love!_

_No!_ The thought of failing on this endeavor was galling enough for him to_ almost_ convince himself that THIS is the_ true_ and_ sole_ reason why he wanted Kaoru to stay away from Aoshi!

With a heavy hand, he started to scribble a message on his open notebook atop his desk (though he couldn't remember exactly when he brought that item out of his backpack). He tore off the page when he was done and sneakily passed it to Kaoru when Mr. Hanya momentarily directed his gaze to the opposite direction.

Kaoru cast him a curious half-glance before she unfolded the piece of paper. Kenshin watched her speedily scan the few lines before she started to jot down a message of her own. She pretended to drop it at her feet so he had to stoop down to retrieve it. Upon unfolding the note, Kenshin read her reply with a raised brow.

"_Why were you with Shinomori this morning?" –KH_

In a hasty, but neatly written script, she replied:

"_Drop it will you! Megumi's not here so you don't have to go around with the 'jealous-boyfriend' routine here." –KK_

Almost furiously, he wrote down his reply and passed it to her. Kenshin didn't even bother to check if their teacher wasn't looking in their direction. With her back turned to him, he heard her groan in irritation for his benefit.

And so, what ensued after that was an exchange of messages tossed back and forth between the two of them… It was juvenile and they both knew this. But neither is willing to give up first as they threw at each other one volley of accusations after another.

"_Why can't you tell me? And I'm not dropping it either! I'm just curious." -KH_

_"I don't remember having any obligation to sate that curiosity!" -KK_

_"Don't push me.!" -KH_

_"...Let's talk about it later, please?" -KK_

_"Why can't you tell me now?" -KH_

_"Because...we have class!" -KK_

_"Mr. Hanya is not looking." -KH_

_"It's a long story..." -KK_

"_Then bore me! SO what really happened this morning?" -KH_

"_Why does it even matter? I don't owe you any explanations!" -KK_

"_Because I'm your boyfriend, dammit!"_

Kenshin hesitated to give her the paper after accidentally writing down that last line. But before he could decide whether to change that reply or pass the message in its unedited form, a dark shadow loomed above him and a hand shot out of nowhere to swipe the piece of paper out of his hands.

"Well, well, well… What do we have here?" Mr. Hanya asked out loud in a bemused voice as he looked at the torn notebook page. He cast a deadly look upon the pair and smiled- an evil smile that made Kenshin and Kaoru both stop breathing._ They know that smile..._ And in the next few seconds, the teacher read aloud the writings in that paper _-much to Kenshin and Kaoru's embarrassment-_ with amazing clarity that not even the student with the most difficultly of hearing would have had any problems understanding. Kaoru dipped her head in her arms on top of the desk to cover her face while Kenshin bit his lips in frustration. During that time, their classmates shot them confused, amused, disappointed looks. Generally, there was a mix of different reactions- but disbelief was predominant among the rest._ And Kaoru couldn't exactly blame them or ask them why…_

Finally, the heaviest blow came for Kenshin when the masked teacher finally read the last part. His face was burning so hotly that he could've sworn his cheeks were of the same shade of his hair as the teacher repeated those five, traitorous words. Kaoru's own face was tainted with a fiery crimson flush that she desperately tried to hide when she heard Kenshin's last written reply. She couldn't understand the nervous beating of her heart the moment she heard the teacher read that one out loud.

_He really wrote that?_ She thought in utter disbelief._ What was he thinking, writing something like that on paper?_

"Having a lover spat now, are we?" Mr. Hanya icily queried without the least trace of humor. "Then would you two kindly resolve your disputes over detention?"

"But sir-" she wanted to protest.

"Now!"

Kaoru hastily scooped up her bag, books and fillers, and left the classroom without even a backward glance at him. Kenshin's mouth dropped in surprise at her sudden abandonment in the midst of the questioning eyes of their classmates and colleagues. In an almost futile attempt to still look cool, he marched towards the door with his head held high paired with his trademark arrogance as he mentally dared the other students with his cold, violet stare to try and make something out of that scene.

Once outside, his blood was practically at boiling point._ She did it again!_ Kaoru made him look like a total fool in front of everyone once more!_ This is getting to be a habit that he has no desire to nurture from her!_

With abrupt, angry steps he easily caught up with her down the hallway. He grabbed her arm and spat at her face, "What's your problem!"

"You!" she half-screamed at him and shoved him away from her.

He was quite aghast with her action._ Where did this bold, impulsive persona of hers surfaced from?_ For the last two days Kenshin was growing more and more surprised by these sudden –though relatively brief- acts of defiance from her. Years ago, she would never, ever, EVER even dare to dream of doing these things to him._ So what brought upon this very unexpected change!_

No!_ He's not going to take this crap from the sniveling Kamiya brat!_ Regaining a bit of his old self, he uttered a low growl and pushed her shoulders forcefully until she backed up against the wall. Pinning her there, he whispered in a voice subtly laced with rage, "Listen Kamiya! If I remember correctly, you were the one who desperately wanted to go through with this stupid charade so you could get your part back at the school play!"

"I hate you!" she interjected in a low but forceful voice. At this, Kenshin couldn't help but smile; liking the way the angry sparks in her eyes brought color and vigor on her beautiful indigo eyes. "The feeling is mutual," he assured her. "But we're not talking about that! We're discussing why-"

"You made me go to detention two times in a row," she whimpered in despair. "You do realize that this can go to my school record, possibly ruining my chances to get accepted to a decent university!"

He eyed her incredulously._ So that's the reason why she's so angry!_ He wanted to slap himself, shake her hard and laugh out loud all at the same time at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation.

_For a while back there, he thought that the reason why she was so annoyed at him was because of that last line in his message proclaiming himself to be her boyfriend…_

"Sorry," he found himself murmuring automatically.

"Come again?" it was her turn to look at him in incredulity.

"I mean," he hastily added, color filling his cheeks once more. "I didn't mean to get you into trouble yesterday and today and have you sent to detention and I-"

She interrupted him once more. "You're actually apologizing to me!" a goofy, baffled smile was beginning to form on her lips.

"And your point is?" Kenshin asked in a defensive tone. Kaoru only continued to grin at him pointedly and he blurted in indignation, "What! You make it sound like I'm allergic to that five-letter word!"

"But you are!"

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"Am not!"

"You are so frustrating!"

"And you're so annoying!"

They stared mutely at each other for a few seconds, unmoving and unflinching. At last, both of them couldn't suppress their mirth any longer as Kaoru stifled her giggles while Kenshin desperately tried to hide his own chuckles. It was so sudden, so very unexpected from both of them that the sheer irony of the situation only extended that period of amusement between them. When they quieted down a bit, Kaoru stared at him pensively with a mix of uncertainty and wonder. "Is it the end of the world already?"

He stared heavenward, as if seeking refuge, "I'm not sure… But for a moment back there, I thought I saw pigs flying in the air outside."

They broke into matching grins after that.

After a while he couldn't help but tell her, "Feels strange… Though not as unpleasant as I've initially thought."

It was her turn to gaze beseechingly at the ceiling. "It will be just too freaky if things start changing between us out of the blue and without a reason," she told him in a dramatic voice. Kaoru watched a spider walk back and forth, to and fro around a circular pattern that was obviously a spider web near one of the ceiling lights. That same arachnid was wrapping its fly prey dinner with the silky, sticky silver thread of death. She watched the fly squirm even though it was useless._ She knew the feeling _because that's exactly what she felt like right now_- trapped!_ Trapped in a situation she didn't want. Trapped in a fake relationship with the most unlikely person that she'll ever fall in love with._ Trapped._

She pitied the fly.

"After all this, we'll go back into being enemies," she added as an afterthought.

Kenshin freed her shoulders and let his body lean back on the wall beside her. "So who won the argument again?" he asked after a while.

"Let's call it a draw," she suggested.

"Fair enough," he agreed.

Kaoru turned her head to the side to look at him and give him a mildly skeptical look paired with a wary half-smile, "Wow! The two of us agreeing on two things at the same day… Never thought I'd live long enough to see the day."

His mouth itched to laugh but he suppressed it. "Anything is possible you know. The world is such a strange and crazy place after all," he stated matter-of-factly.

"And our relationship happened to be the strangest of them all."

"Ah, so you've noticed?"

"Hard to miss it."

"I bet you will, once this is over," he answered mysteriously instead- referring to their present amicable relationship.

She grinned as an answer before she tore her gaze away from him. There was silence between them once more for a few seconds.

Kaoru was the first one to break the peace, "We should go to detention now."

"So why where you with him?" he asked instead.

For a split second, Kaoru entertained the thought of pretending not to understand him. But in the end, she decided that there was no point in prolonging this interrogation any longer. So with a deep breath, she told him in a hushed tone, "He was helping me…from someone who was really mean…"

When Kenshin didn't react or didn't even turn to look at her, she let the story flow out from her lips freely as she recalled the events earlier. Thus in doing so, she hoped that there will no longer be any further doubts in his mind. When she ended the story and hesitantly looked up to see his reaction, she was mildly surprised to see that the impassive look on his face sharply contrasted the somewhat disturbing undertone in his –unusually- cold, violet eyes.

"I should've come with you this morning," he said at last. "Then Megumi wouldn't have-"

"Doesn't matter," I quickly interrupted. "What's important is that she heard the answer straight from you. I hope now maybe she'll back off and leave us alone..."

"-If I had been there," Kenshin continued as if she never spoke at all. "Then Aoshi wouldn't have to, wouldn't-" For some reason, he chose not to end that particular statement. He even shook his head, like he was trying to cast away the idea that popped inside his mind.

Kaoru looked down at her shoes and tugged at the left sleeve of the leather jacket guiltily because she could pretty much guess what Kenshin really wanted to point out. He noticed this little action and irritation began to seep in his heart again. He couldn't stop the bitterness from his voice when he told her pointedly, "You know, you risked_ 'the plan'_ by letting yourself be seen wearing Aoshi's jacket, especially when we're already rumored to be a couple."

"I know," she responded softly. "Were you the one who told everyone about us?"

"No, Tomoe kindly did that for us to get the wheels moving. And don't change the subject!"

"What more do you want me to say?" she heatedly replied. "I'm way past regretting it now!"

This only annoyed him more._ Way past regretting…?_

"And he's worth the risk?"

It was meant as a question, but his voice was too steely due to the fact that he simply refused to believe her if ever she answered 'yes'.

_No, not possible! This is her dream we're talking about!_

He couldn't understand why he's desperate to convince himself with his own mental statement._ He's not supposed to care, dammit!_

Meanwhile, Kenshin's words disturbed Kaoru greatly but she fought hard with herself not to let Himura see the uncertainty in her eyes._ Was she really willing to…to…to risk something this important just so she could be closer to Aoshi?_ She asked herself slowly, doubtfully.

She mentally felt her heart and it felt hollow._ What's the use?_ Her mind despaired._ It's not like Shinomori-san will even remember her name or who she was in general after today…_ She's nothing to him!

"No," was her tiny-sounding reply-_ much to Himura's immense relief._ She looked up at him with a half-smile and what almost resembled as a painful wince, "Aoshi's not…worth it. Not worth it at all!" But before Kenshin could grin confidently because of her revelation, Kaoru was quick to follow her previous declaration with these words:

"Then again, no man ever was… OR_ ever will be!_"

Kaoru hastily removed the jacket from her body, pushed herself off of the wall and shot him a wan look. Kaoru handed the jacket in his open arms and abruptly turned on her heels to walk away. She walked towards the left end of the hallway- to the direction of the detention room. Not once did she look back to see Kenshin's reaction regarding her speech_. She was not interested anyway…_

He watched her go in silence; his gaze never wavering on her rapidly disappearing form for even a second. With a raised brow, he stared down contemptuously at the jacket held in his tight grip. After just a few seconds, he decided to follow Kaoru's direction; walking with brisk, assured steps in contrast to her clumsy pace. When he passed by a trash bin, he tossed the jacket inside the basket without a trace of remorse or even a backward glance. He felt enlightened to be rid of it._ That jacket really irks him!_ "Who wears those leather atrocities at this day and age anyway?" he muttered crossly. "Wannabe!" he answered his own question with vengeance.

Kenshin easily caught up with her (since she was walking in an incredibly slow pace), and he tapped at her shoulder to get her attention.

"What?" she asked without turning.

He held his breath before he let out in a rush the idea that surfaced in his mind minutes ago, "Are you doing something tonight? Because if not, why don't you and I go to the film festival-" he paused to point at one of the many posters depicting the said event as they passed by, "-and catch a movie or two? Students are bound to be there and when they'll see us, well…"

_He expected what happened afterwards..._ She abruptly stopped in her tracks to shoot him a bewildered stare, "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"Well…yeah," he replied in a flagrant show of casualness. He dipped his hands in his back pockets, looked around (a bit out of discomfiture), shrugged nonchalantly then waggled his eyebrows at her in an attempt to be funny (to ward of the heavy atmosphere). "Pretty good idea huh?" he grinned in that usual, self-assured manner of his. "Appearing together tonight will certainly power the gossip mill well until the next day. This will be a good way to make people start noticing us, don't you think?."

"So…?" he prompted for her answer when she didn't speak after a few minutes.

_What he didn't expect was her next reaction!_ She shuddered._ YES!_ As in visibly, ostensibly, obviously and without a doubt trembled, shivered, quavered _-you get the picture-_ with disgust. He knew she wouldn't like it._ But dear god he didn't expect her to react this violently!_

This really annoyed him a lot and he snapped angrily, "What's the matter! I'm not exactly looking forward to the event either!"

"In fact," he muttered out of embarrassment so he could redeem himself. "I wouldn't date you even if the queen of Jupiter gave me a million dollars!"

She snarled at him for the insult, "I'd say ditto. But in my case, I wouldn't date you for anything!"

"Don't flatter yourself!"

"Not with you, I certainly won't!"

They both folded their arms to their chest and turned away from each other at the same time. Kenshin was fuming._ This is the first time he was ever refused by ANY girl!_ And though it kills him to admit it, for some reason he couldn't deny that the insult was more painful because the refusal came from Kaoru._ Her! The destined spinster! The dry cracker!_ Things are never simple when it comes to that brat!

"It should be an honor for you to be seen with me!" he muttered out loud.

"I'd rather be seen with a pig! And when you think about it, there's not much difference anyway!" she whispered harshly.

Out of spite, Himura couldn't help but point out, "This play means nothing to me anyway! So if you're having doubts now then speak out already so I could go on with my REAL life!"

Discreetly, he peeked at her at the corner of his eyes and watched how the whiny Kamiya kid would respond. He was satisfied to see that she looked slightly disconcerted and her hands slowly loosened and limped back to her sides. She gave him a pitiful look when she asked in a low whisper, "A-are you giving up because-"

_Sheesh!_ Can't the girl take a hint! "I'm not suggesting that!" he told her sharply with unconcealed impatience. "But we might as well quit now if you can't even do the basic things that a girl in love is supposed or expected to do… Like going out on a date for instance!"

He finally turned to fully look at her. Kaoru's eyelids were slightly lowered as she looked at her hands. She shifted uncomfortably under his hard scrutiny and he was glad to see that he was making her nervous because it made him feel like his old self again_- and that was being in command_.

Strangely though, when Kaoru held her forehead as if she was in pain, Kenshin couldn't understand_ (and probably never will)_ why her tortured expression suddenly affected him in a way so unlike before._ It almost felt as if…as if…as if he was concerned(!)._

_No way on this lifetime!_

"Would it matter to you if this plan fails?" she suddenly asked out of the blue.

The question surprised him because that was the last thing he expected her to say in their current situation. But he answered honestly just the same and shrugged, "I never fail once I've set my heart on something!"

"That sounded terribly cocky."

"I know."

"Living a life with a head as big as yours must be difficult."

"One can cope," he teased.

"Apparently," she retorted with a roll of her eyes. But after a while, a smile tore at her lips and he grinned in return.

With that exchange they knew, even though there was no spoken confirmation, that they've both come to a crossroad. And both are willing to reach a compromise, at least, for the time being to attain what they wanted to achieve out of their strange situation: Kaoru, her part in the play; Kenshin, the need to prove himself that he can do any challenge and most surely succeed at the same time.

"So what time should I pick you up?" he asked her.

"6 o'clock Martian time!" she replied. "Sharp!

"That can be arranged," he chuckled. "Anything else?"

"Yeah," she raised her index finger to indicate her point. "Don't let my mom see your spaceship parked in front of our house. She'd literally launch into space if she finds out I'm going out with you."

"So how do you propose I get inside your house?" he smiled, liking her humor.

"There's always the balcony," she teased.

"That's so Shakespeare," Himura wrinkled his nose at the idea. "I'm telling you, I'm no Romeo-"

"-And I'm definitely not a Juliet," Kaoru pretended to gag at the idea. "Okay, I guess that idea is out and the backdoor will have to suffice. But where's the drama in that?"

"I could smash my way in and pretend to abduct you. How's that for drama?"

"You do that, and my mom will move me to Jabernale permanently."

"Jaber-what? Where's that?"

"Exactly!"

She laughed at his confused face before turning away to resume her brisk steps towards the detention room- leaving Kenshin completely to sort out his thoughts.

He stared at her back, her plain ponytail, her bland clothes, and her ungainly posture and shook his head in defeat._ I must be mad_, he thought with a smile etched on his lips.

But he cannot deny the light feeling in his chest no more than he can deny the fact that he's eagerly looking forward to their first 'date'…

_It's bound to be interesting…_

**_

* * *

_**

**_A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry! I know I'm supposed to update "Love By Mistake" next, but please bear with me because I'm having a conflict of ideas for the ending so I want more time to think things over. Gomen-nasai to my readers who are eagerly waiting for the update of "LM"_ (ToT)**

**_And now for my response to questions and uncommon reactions:_**

**Does Aoshi like her?**

_-Answered somewhat in this chapter. Sorry, I really don't make a habit of directly revealing answers to questions like this. I want you readers to read on and find out for yourself c",)_

**Hope Kaoru will appreciate her mother more since she was only trying to defend her daughter.**

_-Don't worry, she will…TRY to find a way._

**The deal reminds me of Full House…**

_-Yeah, I guess in some way my story was quite influenced by that Korean show. I loved that show! Though sometimes, the lead characters' inability to express what they truly feel irk me (:P)_

**Please finish your story!**

_-Don't worry, I'll finish all of my stories! ('cept for my Ranma and FF-7 fic)_

**Will there be more characters?**

_-Currently we have five_ 'visible'_ RK characters. At least two or three more will be added to the mix in later chapters._

**Does Kenshin love Tomoe here?**

_-Somewhat answered in this chapter_ (;P)

**So where are the fan club attacks?**

_-Spearheaded by Megumi in this chapter. Expect more in later installments._

**Kenshin and Kaoru's age please?**

_-Around sixteen to seventeen. Never really gave much thought to age and stuff so I might change that in later chapters. It's pretty irrelevant and that the only thing that is worth noting is that they're in high school._

**The nature of teenagers…**

_-Thanks to De Lazy Lime for this suggestion. Yes definitely there will be a few sexual suggestions now and then, but not full-fledged lemon. Because for one thing, Lime is right, teens do tend to be a bit too hormonal for their own good._

**Your tenses and a few grammar mistakes.**

_-Oh do please point them out Arwensol-sama! I want to improve and I know my work is still far from perfect. Oh and the switching of perspectives is not an accident or a mistake. It's really my writing style. (as explained in "Love for Sale" chapter two or three) Will you please elaborate a bit more? I recieved your review giving me examples but I didn't quite get it. Sorry if I'm quite thick when it comes to things like this... _(:P)

**Does Tomoe know about the plan?**

_-Yup! Answered in this chapter._

**How big will be Aoshi's role?**

_-Big enough to make the story so much more interesting for our fave KnK pair… _(:D)

**Kaoru's physical makeover date?**

_-Please read on to find out (:P)_

**_Sorry if I don't have time to individually answer all reviewers. School has started again in my country so things will be pretty hectic in the following days… Anyway, thanks again for reading my story! 'Till next time ciao, ciao!_**

**_P.S. Ate Gen I was hoping we could meet after your delivery na lang… How many months na po ba? Looking forward to it! Thanks for being such a good reader and friend and I wish the best for you and your 'future' family… _(:D)**

**_P.S.S. Happy birthday to me! I was officially born on the afternoon of June 19! Let this installment be my little birthday treat to all of my beloved readers!_ (:D)**


	5. wishing star

"No cardigans!"

I inhaled sharply in surprise when out of the blue, my bedroom door slammed open and a giddier-than-ever Tomoe literally bounced inside and snatched away the article of clothing I had in my hands after she uttered those two words. I shot my ex-best friend an annoyed and frustrated look as I cried out, "Hey!"

"Just stopping you from making the biggest fashion mistake in history," Tomoe shook her head and waggled her eyebrows in an attempt to look cute. I rolled my eyes at her words._ Great! She sounded just like my mother!_

But then, realization hit me while Tomoe was busily sifting through my dresser for a better outfit. "How the hell did you get inside my house!" I sputtered as I jumped off my bed.

Tomoe raised her head from the dresser to give me cheeky grin. "I came through the door," she informed me.

_Ugh!_ A wise guy, eh?

"Tomoe!" I tapped my foot vigorously on the carpeted floor of my room. She rolled her eyes at me and resumed her search. "I have the key," she replied carelessly over her shoulder.

"How!" my tone was incredulous.

Tomoe frowned contemplatively as she tossed out one bland dress after another out of my closet. It took her a while to answer me back. "Your mom gave it to me when I asked for it earlier today. I know her workplace, remember?" She made a face directed at me through the dresser mirror after that last statement. "Honestly Kaoru, don't you have anything else in here?" she complained.

I snorted in disbelief._ What alternate universe is this?_ This is my former friend who abandoned me for some arrogant, pig-headed jock _**(F.Y.I. Kenshin is co-captain of the school soccer team and president of the Kendo club)** -and my worst enemy no less-_ almost a year ago. And now she's in my room, rummaging through my clothes and rolling her eyes at me_ like nothing significant happened between us!_

"Tomoe! Stop throwing my clothes around!" I hollered as I caught a few pieces of clothing as they flew in the air courtesy of my companion.

"This is hopeless," she cried out, totally ignoring me like I never said anything at all. She walked towards my pristine-white bed and let her body fall on top of it with a soft whooshing sound. She took in my room with her eyes in just a second and she wrinkled her nose in distaste. "You seriously need an interior decorator in here," Tomoe told me pointedly.

"Thanks Picasso but no," I replied dryly. I refused to feel offended by that comment._ SO what if my room is plain boring_ with its blank, beige-white walls, sparse furnishings and utter lack of overall attitude? For me its fine as it is!_ And besides, it's not like I let other people come into my room anyway…_ So there's no need for me to style my room in any way whatsoever!

"What are you even doing here?" I returned to the question at hand as I scooped up my clothes from the floor. "You're not supposed to be here after you were 'supposedly' dumped by your boyfriend so he could pursue me. What if somebody saw you or sees you come here?"

Tomoe shrugged nonchalantly at my worries. "I came through the backdoor," she informed me with a satisfied grin plastered on her pretty lips.

I went on my hands and knees on the floor and angrily tugged on a dress that she accidentally stepped on. "Don't you have cheering practice to go to or something?" I muttered peevishly.

"Cut short," Tomoe chirped and bounced up and down my clean linens._ Oh well, goodbye flat-ironed sheets. _"Some of the girls are members of the student council and they have to help get ready for the film showing later."

_Whoa!_ A cheerleader and a student council member at the same time?_ I wonder if 'those girls' _(whoever they are)_ still have time to breathe…_

"So? Don't you have a home to go to?" I folded the last dress and placed it neatly on top of the pile of clothes before closing the dresser completely.

She ignored me once more and sat up to cross her legs before leaning forward with an eager look, "You mean you don't know the plan?"

That's a toughie._ Is that a rhetorical question? _I sighed in frustration at her, "Would I be asking you if I did!" I cracked wearily.

"O-oh," she nodded in embarrassment. Tomoe scratched the back of her head and began to explain sheepishly, "Well HE told me that you two are going out and he wanted me to make sure that you don't wear something that'll embarrass him."

"Told you what? And told you by whom?" my brows knitted together in confusion. But before I could press her further, the doorbell rang and Tomoe was up on her feet before I could stop her. "I'll get it!" she shouted in a sing-song voice as she dashed out of my room before I could stop her.

_'What just happened back there?'_ I asked to myself. And since there's no one to answer my query, there was nothing else I could do in the meantime but shake my head in bewilderment.

"He's here!"

My jaws dropped open when two people came in. Heat and irritation quickly climbed up my head, giving me the first strains of migraine when I recognized who the person Tomoe was with.

_Urgh!_

That same person smirked condescendingly the moment he laid eyes upon my room. Kenshin Himura confidently walked inside as he took note of every detail in every nook and cranny of my room. Finally, he lazily let his gaze drop on me and the smug grin on his face grew wider. "It's everything I've expected Kamiya…even more!" he told me nastily, obviously referring to the plainness and ugliness of my room.

I pursed my lips and turned my head sideways to look behind him where Tomoe was standing. "What's he doing here?" I demanded.

Tomoe raised her finger as a prelude to her explanation but Himura quickly beat her to it. In his usual arrogant style, he told me rather wryly, "We're supposed to go out on a date, remember?" he pretended to knock on my forehead. "Or were you expecting someone else? Not that it's a possible that you got someone interested in you enough to actually ask you out."

I waved away his hand from my face and wrinkled my nose in irritation. "What do you care? And our date is hours from now!" I barked at him. "Aren't we the eager one?"

He snorted at that, "As if!"

"Why are you here so early?" I ignored his statement and demanded in a shrill voice.

His eyes rolled at the back of his head in mock-exasperation over my whining. "What are you PMS'ing about now?"

"I'm not PMS'ing! Just answer my question about why you're here already when we agreed on a certain time of meeting!"

"So I'm a little early!" he snapped back. "Bite me!"

"And be infected by your germs?" I scoffed. "You wish!"

"Guys, guys!" Tomoe interjected when she saw that Himura and I were about to launch into one of our classic bouts again. She put herself in between us and pushed us away from ourselves. She even comically made the 'time-out' gesture with both of her hands as she cast us weary looks. "At this rate, you two won't even be able to convince my blind grand aunt that you two are even remotely interested in each other."

"Oh I'm very interested all right," I was quick to correct her. "I'm very much interested to run a spike through Himura's thick, fat head!"

"I wouldn't count my chickens if I were you Kamiya," he condescendingly tilted his left eyebrow at me.

"You're chicken-shit Himura, I think that counts!"

Tomoe desperately tried to make herself heard in the middle of all our bickering. "Guys…!"

"You love me that much, don't you?" he grinned down at me mockingly.

_Ugh, that smirk!_ "When three-eyed monsters with fangs start walking on earth Himura!" I cracked.

"Funny! What do you call the creature you saw in the mirror this morning Kamiya?"

I stuck my tongue out at him. "We are SO compatible when it comes to that, aren't we Himura?"

"A match made in heaven!" Kenshin agreed with a condescending grin; evenly matching my thick sarcasm. Tomoe stared heavenwards for refuge before she pulled her boyfriend to a distance a few meters away from me. She made him sit on one of my traditional wicker chairs before she marched towards me and pushed me down on my bed.

"Hey!" I protested, rubbing the shoulder she pushed. "That hurts!"

"Okay," Tomoe started, paying no attention to me. "Now that you two are separated and breathing more calmly now, can we please have a decent discussion about tonight's agenda?"

She looked at us back and forth for a silent confirmation of our sworn cooperation. She seemed satisfied with our disgruntled, but otherwise compliant looks so she continued. "So we're here to discuss how you two should act on your first date together and-"

"Hon," Kenshin cut her off. "This is really worthless for me. I know how to act on a date you know. I went to plenty in my days-"

And on this note, he turned his eyes on me and smirked, "-But I'm sure that Kamiya will find this discussion immensely useful. Especially since she obviously has no prior experience whatsoever…" he trailed off nastily.

"Kenshin!" Tomoe reprimanded with a gasp.

My lips parted slightly with surprise at such under-handed jab. Tomoe was quick to utter her apologies for her boyfriend's sake but my eyes were already seeing red. Himura leaned back in his seat and gave me a mock-innocent smile. His girlfriend approached him and slapped his chest_ –extra-_ hard, almost making him tumble backwards.

That almost made me laugh._ Almost._

"Apologize to Kaoru right now," Tomoe demanded at him like a mother scolding a naughty child.

I rolled my eyes at my former best friend's lame conciliatory attempt._ Yeah right. Like that's gonna happen!_

"Whaaat?" Kenshin feigned innocence but with a smirk still plastered on his face. "I'm just saying the truth. Is that a crime now?"

_Smartass!_ Was he in the toilet the day God handed out brains?

"Kenshin Himura!" his girlfriend's tone was dangerous.

I remained tight-lipped throughout the whole ordeal. Honestly, I should really stop being hurt with Himura's half-arsed insults._ He'd been giving me the same treatment for years!_ So someone like me should really be used to him by now._ After all, fourteen plus years is quite a long time to get used to someone's nasty attitude …_

"All right already!" Himura sighed in defeat after Tomoe's relentless reproach. He turned to me and gave me the most insincere smile since Judas Iscariot's kiss on Jesus' cheek. "I'm really sorry Kamiya if I hurt your feelings by stating the obvious."

Tomoe was aghast once more, "You never learn, do you!"

I bit the inner walls of my cheek to stop myself from bursting out._ No good, arrogant, conceited smartass!_ I calmed myself a few times with deep breathing before I finally spoke, "That's okay Himura…" I matched these words with a sickeningly-sweet smile. "After all…it's not your fault if you're born a retard."

I watched with pleasure as both Tomoe and Kenshin's jaws dropped in surprise at my bold retaliation._ Didn't see that one coming, didn't you? _I smiled in deep satisfaction._ None of you guys thought that I had it in me to talk back._

Actually, the surprise is as much mine as theirs._ I mean_ this is actually the first time I ever said something really…offensive to Kenshin. I usually call him an ass or an S-O-B in my mind. And if I ever let any of those aforementioned terms slip out of my lips, he usually ignores it because it was already so common and passé to him.

Himura's eyes narrowed and he abruptly stood up. My heart quickly jumped to my throat and I involuntarily inched back on my bed in fear when I saw an all-too-familiar scowl tore at his lips._ Uh-oh, is he going to hurt me…?_

"I don't have to take this shit," he told me in a low voice. "Especially not from YOU!"

And with that declaration, he huffily stomped out of my room. I breathed out a sigh of relief because for a while back there I thought he was going to physically hurt me.

But Tomoe was less comforted because she quickly ran up to me and tugged on my left arm. "What are you doing?" she demanded frantically. "Stop him!"

_Excuse me?_ I frowned at Tomoe in confusion, "And I should do that because…?" I trailed off with a quirk of my left brow.

My ex-best friend made a face at me and pretended to knock on my forehead the way Kenshin did earlier, "Hello? Is anything up there? Kenshin is an integral part of this silly deal, remember! What if Kenshin quits on you out of irritation?"

My heart plummeted to the floor at the mention of that very good point. "He won't!" I protested but there was hesitation. "He…he wouldn't… He promised!" I reinforced rather weakly.

Tomoe rolled her eyes at me. "But what if he does?" she insisted. "Then what would YOU do?"

_Oh dear God the possibility…!_ He is Kenshin Himura after all! Even though he told me earlier in school that he's going to see this deal through, what if he backs out just because he's fed up with me?

_No I can't let that happen!_ Breathing suddenly became very hard and I shakily stood up on my feet. "What should I do?" I asked Tomoe plaintively, seeking for help._ After all, if anyone knows Kenshin well, it should be his girlfriend right?_

"Apologize!" she answered firmly.

_No not that! Why should I apologize to that jackass when he's the one who is ALWAYS at fault?_ I mentally wailed at the idea. I have a good mind to tell Tomoe exactly that!

But instead, I gulped down whatever little pride I have left and nodded stiffly. "Okay…"

I quickly left my room and hurriedly skipped down the stairs to catch up on Himura. In just a few seconds, I saw Kenshin as he was about to exit the foyer. He was about to reach our front door when I called out to him, "Himura!"

I saw that he's not going to be stopped because he proceeded to turn the doorknob even after I called him. Quickly, I walked up behind him and grabbed the end of his shirt to stop him in his tracks.

Kenshin groaned and tried to tug his way free but I won't budge! He was finally forced to face me and he barked an exasperated, "What now!"

I swallowed visibly as I took in his appearance. As usual, he looked gorgeous with his clean-cut, white polo shirt with the cuffs rolled up to his elbows paired with black slacks and shoes. His fiery-red mane was tied down on top of his left shoulder and his handsome violet eyes were glinting with sheer irritation.

_He was good-looking, plain and simple and I'm not going to contest that._ And maybe if only I was just another girl who'd rather focus on the outside beauty more than what is in the heart, then I would have swooned at such intimate distance with him.

Unfortunately, I'm Kaoru Kamiya and not just any girl. And regrettably too, this is Kenshin Himura we're talking about._ We just don't mix! _It's like Saddam trying to befriend George Bush, heaven and hell, good and evil, cat and dog, right hand and left, synonym and antonym, Simpson and Flounder, right butt cheek to left!_ We are one too many worlds different!_

_That's why apologizing to him is going to be a hundred times harder to do compared to asking forgiveness from someone else!_

"Kamiya you're wasting my time!" he hissed through my muddled thoughts. My eyes snapped back to his furious, lavender ones and I sighed in vexation at the futility of the situation.

"I'm sorry," I blurted out before I could lose my nerve.

_Oh damn! The things I do for my art!_ I have to remember to brush my tongue later.

"What!"

Now that the worst is over, the rest was a tad easier to let out, "I'm apologizing to you!" I affirmed to him.

Kenshin looked back at me incredulously, "You're asking for my forgiveness with that angry tone of yours?" The first few signs of a smirk were beginning to tug at the corners of his mouth.

_Never the easy path for you, huh Himura?_ I gritted my teeth in frustration._ Calm down Kaoru, calm down._ "Yes…I'm sorry, okay?"

"Oh?" he leaned back now and crossed his arms to his chest, grinning smugly down at me all the while. "And what were you sorry for again?" he asked. He was clearly rubbing it in._ The asshole!_

_I'm really sorry that people are forced to put up with your over-bloated ego!_ I winced slightly trying to keep my anger in check as I told him in a low voice, "I'm sorry that I called you a retard Himura…"

_Yeah, because putting psychologically-challenged people down to your level is a way, way worse insult to them!_

"Are you really sorry…?" he placed a hand over his right chest and mocked a hurt look to infuriate me more. "Because I was really offended back there."

"Yes…I…am…" every word was forced out through gritted teeth and my knuckles started to turn white because I was clenching my fist so hard.

Kenshin threw his head back and finally laughed, "Good girl! I knew you'd come around." He went forward to pat me on the head like some neutered dog being comforted by his owner with a grin. "That's what women should be like, submissive to men," he taunted rather arrogantly.

"Chauvinist pig!" I muttered in retaliation. He chuckled even more and bent forward to level his face with mine. Patting my right cheek with his index finger, he replied with a smug grin, "All men are, honey. Some just hide it in a facade of sweetness and courtesy. Get used to it."

I was taken aback, partly because of the endearment he used and the other part was the idea that all men are chauvinists. Though I didn't mind the endearment too much; not as much as the idea that Aoshi could be like him.. I quickly cried out in his defense out of instinct, "Not all men!"

"Right," he scoffed, straightening up. "Just keep deluding yourself Kamiya. I'm just more honest you know. At least I'm not a hypocrite like other guys who pretend to be gentle and lovable, when all they really want from a girl is sex."

I gasped at his crude remark and his smirk was too unbearable for words. Before I could stop myself I lashed out, "Aoshi's nothing like that or like you, you insufferable pig!"

The instantaneous change in Himura's expression at the mention of Aoshi's name was almost funny. His grin quickly dissolved into an ugly scowl and his brows met at the middle of his forehead in sheer annoyance. "What's he got to do with this?" he glowered.

"When you said all men are like that, then naturally you're implying that HE is also like that!" I responded.

"So?" Kenshin shrugged. "It's the truth."

"No it's not!"

He sneered at this, "So you've fallen prey to his tactics eh?"

"What tactics? Don't you compare your dirty, perverted ways to him!" I knew I'm practically shouting now. "Besides, don't compare me to the sluts you've bedded before Tomoe because I'm not the type of girl to be tricked so easily!"

Himura rolled his eyes at me in return. I stood my ground though, ready for anything he'll say to contest that.

_And then he did the most surprising thing ever...!_

Before I could stop it or move away, he was already right in front of me. He raised his hand to touch my left cheek and I gasped out in surprise. Tenderness descended in his eyes and his lips formed a small, seemingly shy smile.

"W-wha-?" I uttered in confusion. I tried to back away but his other hand found its way to my back and stopped me from my escape by landing on the small of my back.

"Kaoru," his voice was only above a whisper. The hand on my face traced my jaw line lightly. "You're so cute when you get angry like that."

My jaws dropped in shock._ WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON!_

Kenshin only chuckled good-humoredly at my obvious fright. This time, he even leaned forward to rest his forehead on top of mine as he murmured to my face, "Don't you know Kaoru? Ever since then, the reason why I tease you so much is because I really, really like the way your eyes get all fired up when you're angry."

He reached up to trace my lips as he spoke, "I like the way your lips curve to form a frown. I like that pert little nose of yours whenever it flared with indignation…"

Himura paused to let me absorb all that information. When all I could do was gape at him with my mouth wide open like some idiotic fish deprived of water, he only laughed softly and continued, "But what I would really like more Kaoru is if you'd smile at me even just once. Not for anyone else and especially not for Aoshi…"

"Because," he moved his face away from me for a split second to inhale deeply. He quickly returned to his previous position and outlined my jaw with his thumb. "Because…even when we were still toddlers and up until now I've…I've been… I've always been…"

With wide, amazed eyes I watched him with a mixture of sheer curiosity and gut-wrenching dread at what he was about to reveal. Himura looked like he was GENUINELY having a really difficult time spitting out whatever was on his mind.

Finally, in a pained and throaty voice he whispered:

"_Because I've always been in love with you…"_

I think I died at that moment.

I'm serious!

My heart stopped at the shock and my brain went dead for a few seconds.

_Unreal!_ Is this one of those cheesy love stories where enemies, after a long time of enmity, fall in love with each other or something?

_This moment feels more like a comedy sitcom and a horror flick all at the same time!_

This is more than scary!_ It's terrifying!_

Kenshin searched my face for an encouraging sign._ Was I disgusted? Pleased? Awed by his revelation?_ He must be asking this to himself. But all I could offer or manage to show was a stupid, dumbfounded look._ Uhhh…?_

But it didn't matter anyway because he proceeded to do something that I've dreaded over and over, ever since we agreed on Prof. Okina's deal…

He leaned over my face and rubbed his nose against mine. His eyes fluttered close and instantly I knew what he wanted to do. And _–God forbid-_ I felt myself do the same! Maybe it's just the pressure or the heat of the moment or whatever! The point is, there was no possible explanation why I'm readying myself to the act that he was about to do!_ This is not something I would normally do!_ SO why am I getting ready to do it?_ Why, why, why?_ Why is my heart beating so fast? THIS IS HIMURA FOR PETE'S SAKE!

_Stop!_ A distant voice in my consciousness screamed._ Stop, before it's too late!_

I felt the warmth of his breath as his lips were only a few millimeters above my mouth. My lips opened slightly in breathless anticipation.

_STOP!_

And just when I thought he was about to kiss me, he said something that I know_ I'll remember until my dying day…_

"So can I get into your pants now?"

…_That fateful moment being now, by the way._

The realization of what he had done felt exactly like being dumped by a freezing-cold bucket of water on a winter day and I instantly jumped away from him, feeling electrocuted by the truth that dawned upon me.

My cheeks flamed to the same color of his hair while Kenshin on the other hand fell to the floor hard, laughing his head off.

_It was a trick!_

_**I WANT TO DIE RIGHT NOW!**_

"Oh man!" he was wheezing and practically out of breath due to so much laughing. Himura wiped away a tear from his eye and continued to guffaw like a donkey. "Not like those sluts…eh?" he gasped out in between chuckles.

I held my forehead like I was in EXTREME pain- which is exactly how I felt at the moment by the way._ I feel sick and I want to throw up!_

_God how stupid I was!_ Why did I let myself be tricked by his 'oh-so-sincere' voice and 'gentle' and 'shy' expression?_ This is the king of playboys after all!_ And I just demonstrated to him _-in the worst way possible- _the incredible power of his charms!

_Oh boy…_ There's no living with him now.

"Seriously Kaoru," he stood up and dusted his pants before he plastered that infamous smirk on his face again. "You shouldn't blame yourself really, No one has ever resisted me before and you're only human after all…"

"That's comforting," I muttered crossly, worn out with what just happened. I removed my hand from my forehead and faced him defiantly. With as much arrogance as I can still muster (given the situation) I told him pointedly, "Maybe you do have the magic effect Himura. And the female populace of Seirin High will be forever cursed for as long as you walk those same hallways! But let me tell you this…"

I walked up to him and went on tiptoes so I could level with his face. With an insolent tilt of my chin I informed him matter-of-factly, "When you touched me, sure it was strange and maybe even a_ teensy, weensy_ bit pleasant. But it was nothing –absolutely nothing- compared to the exhilarating thrill I felt when AOSHI touched me!"

"Because," I continued, stepping down to my normal height. "Maybe you can charm your way to a woman's pants. But you can never make her love you… Good looks can only take you so far Himura!"

We exchanged a relatively brief, intense gaze before I looked away and brushed past him. I opened the front door and beckoned to him, "If we're going on that 'date' then we better get moving."

I didn't wait for him and quickly walked towards his car parked in front of our house. I glowered the moment I saw his precious mustang._ Great! He didn't even follow my instruction to place his car to a spot where my mom couldn't see. _

Arrogant piece of chicken shit!

Thunder rumbled overhead as I waited for him beside his car._ The gods are definitely not happy about something,_ I thought as I observed the succession of lightning bolts that flashed in the sky.

_And apparently, HE is not happy about something either._ I noted this when Himura approached me and I saw the dark look on his face. He practically looked like he could kill somebody!

_Let him brood! _I snarled angrily inside my head. My face flushed with fury when I remembered how he tricked me earlier._ He is such an asshole to demonstrate his sexual prowess to me that way._ I reached up to rub my nose that he touched earlier._ Ugh! Himura germs!_

_Never again!_ I swore to myself as I buckled myself on the passenger seat the moment Kenshin opened the door. I stole a quick, half-glance at him and snorted to myself.

_I will never, ever, for never ad infinitum fall in love with someone like Kenshin Himura!_

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Kenshin just did the impossible and I'm afraid I have to admit that I am quite impressed! _After I got over my anxiety, that is…_

With a speed to scare twenty devils into sainthood, Himura raced the streets with hairpin maneuvers and thirty-over-the-limit speeding with such racecar driver precision that leaves no place for you to breathe! And even though my home was a good twenty-five minute drive, he managed to get us in school in half the time the travel would normally take.

When he abruptly stopped into an empty parking space, I held onto the sides of my seat tightly even though I knew I'm safely buckled up under the seatbelts. The force of the sudden stop was so hard and powerful that for a minute there I really thought I was going to smash my head on the dashboard even with the safety harness strapped around me.

When Himura turned off the engine and pocketed his keys, it was only then that I finally found my voice to speak. Still filled with fear I croaked out, "Are we in heaven already?"

He rolled his eyes at me and moved to open the door on his side. After that, he leisurely strolled to my side to open the door for me. But the moment he opened the car door, I quickly jumped out and made an attempt to throttle him.

"Whoa! What's your problem?" he cried out as he captured me in his arms and tried to restrain me.

"You, you, you-!" I sputtered incoherently with rage. "You were trying to kill me back there!"

Kenshin snorted at this as he battled with my struggling arms. He managed to pin my hands to my sides as he snarled, "Will you stop it already! If I really wanted you dead then I would have made sure that the job was done!"

"I hate you!" I screamed at his face.

'_Duh!'_ His expression seemed to say.

When I wouldn't stop struggling, he finally lost his patience and slammed my body on top of his car. I gasped out more in surprise than in pain at his actions. He pressed his hands on my shoulders and I winced in fear.

"Let's get something straight," his face was deadly calm as he uttered these words. "I'm tired of your crap Kamiya and obviously so are you with me. So I want to remind you that it is not my idea to accept Mr. Okina's condition in the first place…"

I stiffened when I realized what he was trying to tell me. I opened my mouth to speak but he raised a finger in front of my face to silence me. Kenshin angled his head to look at me through his eyelashes as he continued, "Don't give me that look because I'm not backing out, as I've told you already earlier! But if you really want us to succeed then I'll give you some conditions of my own."

"What-" I uttered as he let go of me and stepped back. "-conditions?"

"One," he cocked an eyebrow. "NO shouting at me, yelling at me, slapping me or just plain freaking out on me! Got it?"

I pursed my lips as I jabbed the inner wall of my left cheek with my tongue. After a few seconds I sighed (What else is there to do but agree?) and nodded, "Okay… anything else?"

He assessed my facial expression first before he exhaled loudly with weariness. In a low and grim voice he told me his other condition, "You'll never go near that Shinomori kid ever again!"

_What? _"Now wait just a damn minute-"

My explosion was cut short when I heard a group of people behind me call out, "Kenshin!"

I turned around and my gut splattered all over the sidewalk for the umpteenth time that day at the sight that greeted us._ Oh no…_

I panicked when I saw three of the elite members of Seirin High's popular crowd approaching towards us! Sanosuke Sagara, Enishi Yukishiro and Akira Kiyosato were all making their way towards us in a leisurely pace. My eyes landed from one extremely gorgeous face after another and I knew I was going to retch!

Oh no! Not here, not now…_NOT THEM!_ I won't be able to stomach the pressure of being close to the three gods of Seirin High._ No!_

Fun-loving Sano, vice president of the kendo club, was the first one to reach us. Practically ignoring me (it is to be expected), he grabbed Himura and gave him an ultra-noogie on the head before he could escape. "Man where were you?" Sano jovially asked while he rubbed his big knuckles across Himura's head vigorously. "We didn't see you in 'Java Street' this afternoon!"

Kenshin wasn't given time to reply because instantly his other friends swarmed around us and Akira even started to encourage Sano's noogie attack. I began to back away uneasily while they laughed at their antics. Though they haven't noticed me yet, sooner or later they will. And when that happens I don't want to be there and suffer the embarrassment of the situation._ I don't want to be the center of their attention!_

As I took a step back, my body collided to a figure standing behind me. I gasped because I lost my footing. Fortunately, the same person I bumped with quickly caught my upper arms and steadied me to regain my balance. I looked up to say 'thank you' to the rather tall person who saved me and my eyes widened in surprise.

_Light turquoise…_

_Beautiful turquoise eyes._

A grim, expressionless Enishi raised an eyebrow questioningly down at me and asked gently, "You okay?"

It was Tomoe's brother, Enishi Yukishiro._ I wonder why I noticed his eyes only now…_

I nodded and he let go. I was surprised to find myself a _tad_ disappointed when our contact ended. I backed away from him and dusted my clean skirt out of embarrassment. Mumbling nervously I excused myself and tried to inch away from the scene.

Unfortunately, that's where all my good luck ended because I heard another voice that I thought only in nightmares could exist. With dread, I raised my eyes from the ground and saw Megumi wave and call at the guys while she dragged the famous soprano of Seirin chorale ensemble Sayo Muto with her. Laughing, she pushed her way inside the circle (obviously not noticing me yet) and quickly took hold of Kenshin's arm while her friend Sayo smiled up prettily at Sanosuke

"Kenshin!" Megumi practically purred at him. "Where were you? I was hoping I could talk to you after school but I heard you were in detention earlier."

Himura lazily grinned back and I felt my blood boil at his sudden transformation._ Is he forgetting something?_ Why is he even talking to that, that, that…THAT woman after I told him earlier what she did to me and to my locker this morning!_ AND how quickly his mood changes too!_ Just minutes ago he was about to chew my head off for some unknown reason-_ and now he's flirting with her like I'm not standing right there watching them!_

"Why are you with him?"

I almost jumped in surprise when I realized that Enishi was talking to me. I cleared my throat and shyly averted my eyes from him. "What do you mean why I'm with him?" I cautiously replied. "Why shouldn't I be with him?" I added dumbly.

_Doh!_ I wanted to roll my eyes at my own words._ Smart Kaoru, really smart…_

He just stared at me in a way that made me so terribly uncomfortable. His hands were inside his jean pockets and his hair was too messy (in a sexy way). He looked so serious and so grim that I think even gargoyles would be ashamed to stand right next to him.

_Enishi Yukishiro…_ He's my ex best friend's twin brother and a part of Tomoe's life that I hardly know anything about._ He's so mysterious._ Back then, when I still visit Tomoe at their house, he's hardly ever home when I'm there. And when he's in the vicinity, he'd make sure that Tomoe and I don't run into him and vice versa. It was almost as if_…as if he was avoiding us._

Or maybe…he's just avoiding ME. After all,_ why would he avoid his own sister?_

_But why would he do that?_

I guess that's one of life's mysteries that you'll never get to find out, huh?

Besides, I have no interest in finding out either.

"The truth is," I bit my lips hesitantly. I don't know why, but I feel kind of compelled to tell him some sort of explanation for my presence there. "He asked me to go out with him."

Enishi arched his eyebrow once more questioningly but didn't say anything to contest my words.

_But what he said instead was difficult to accept or admit._ "So you're on a date with him huh?"

For a while I just looked at him._ Am I supposed to nod my head and affirm it?_ Wouldn't it be embarrassing for a girl to do that first? I mean, a guy should be the first one to tell his friends that he's going out with that certain girl_ right_? Okay call me old-fashioned or whatever, but what did you expect?_ This is my first date after all and I'm terribly inexperienced with the whole thing!_

"Guys lets ditch this place," Megumi suggested before I could open my mouth to speak. She still hasn't noticed me yet and I'm greatly relieved. "I heard Tsukioka is having a party tonight since his parents are going out of town!"

_Holding a party on a weeknight?_ I frowned at the idea. This Tsukioka guy is seriously tempting trouble and hard after-party hangovers.

"Megumi," Sayo giggled primly as she called her friend. "We promised Yumi-chan our support for this fund-raising event of the student council, or have you forgotten?"

Megumi smirked and held on tighter to Himura's arm. "Well I don't know…" she grinned up at him suggestively. "But if Kenshin wanted to go somewhere more lively than the movie fest, then I think Yumi would just have to understand."

I wanted to retch the way Megumi practically pushed her chest to his arms. And what's more revolting is that Himura wasn't making an attempt to remove her away from him._ Ugh and double ugh! _I made a face at them behind their back. This 'date' is not going the way we planned!

_I have to do something or else I'm bound to lose 'my date' on the hussy vixen!_

Taking all the courage I could gather (and believe me it's not much), I stepped in front of the groups and took Himura's free hand and tugged at it. "Maybe we should be going now," I squeaked out, pleading to him with my eyes not to make things difficult for me.

And that's when all four of them (with Enishi of course) finally noticed me. Takani-san's face instantly darkened at the sight of me while Sayo, Sano and Akira just looked confused.

"What are you doing here?" the fox hissed.

"Oh hello there," Sayo smiled tentatively. She turned to 'my' boyfriend and asked him gently, "Friend of yours Kenshin?"

_This is it, the moment of truth!_ I sucked in my breath and waited anxiously at Himura's answer._ Will he confirm to this group that I'm his girlfriend?_ I tightened my grip at his hand when a horrifying possibility surfaced in my mind._ Or will he be too ashamed to do it?_

_God please don't!_ I prayed fervently inside my head._ Himura don't you dare make me suffer the embarrassment of saying that you don't even know me!_ Knowing how cruel he could be, there's just the small possibility that he might claim this! You know, just to save face or whatever!

I felt him tense up for a split second before he finally relaxed in my grip. Smiling lopsidedly, he shrugged and casually placed his arm over my shoulder.

"Guys," he started with a genial smile. "This is Tomoe's best friend Kaoru…"

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_Honestly I shouldn't be surprised._

_I'm serious!_ I mean come on,_ what did I expect?_ Did I honestly hope that my arch nemesis since childhood would just easily proclaim that I'm HIS girlfriend in front of his ultra cool friends? I'd be more naïve that I thought if I honestly believed that!

_So why did it hurt?_ When he didn't tell them that I'm his girlfriend, why did I feel a sudden painful twinge in my chest?

_It's because you were insulted._ My logic quickly assured me._ And it's perfectly understandable!_ He obviously didn't want to be known as your boyfriend. He probably thought he'd be mocked if he revealed it to be so.

_After all, why would a cool guy like him go out on a date with someone as dorky as Kaoru Kamiya?_

I sighed wearily._ I do hope my logic is right._

…Because I'd hate myself terribly if ever I found out that there is another reason why I was hurt when Himura denied me!

I exhaled wearily and looked at the can of beer I was holding with disgust._ How did I get the beer?_ Simple, Himura finally agreed to go to that Tsukioka guy's party after much cajoling from his friends. And I don't know how Megumi did it, but she managed to steal my place in Himura's car so I wounded up getting a ride with Tomoe's brother instead!

Enishi was awfully quiet during the ride-_ not that I had anything to say to him if ever he decided to strike up a conversation with me anyway._ And when we arrived in Tsukioka's place, Enishi lingered around me only long enough to see that I have something to drink before he left me completely to join his friends.

So yeah, I was standing in the middle of a crowded, rowdy room, totally alone and friendless with no one I know in sight._ This is just great!_ And to make matters worse, I'm starting to feel nauseous with all the loud music and cigar smoke around me. My placid soul is not used to all this chaos and I'm afraid if I don't leave soon, I might pass out here- right where I'm standing!

Kenshin,_ where are you?_

Trying to get a grip on myself, I placed the barely-touched beer can on the nearest wooden surface I could spot and started to go on a search for my supposed date._ I'm really serious about the nausea part!_ I have a delicate constitution and I certainly don't want to faint in a place where just about anyone can take advantage of me!

_That is_, if anyone is blind and stupid enough with drunkenness to actually mistake me for someone worth taking advantage of.

"Excuse me, 'scuse me!" I squeaked as I passed by endless bodies of half-drunk, half-dazed hormonal teenagers._ God!_ It was only nine thirty in the evening and yet the party was already getting out of control! Most are even already looking terribly wasted._ Jeez!_

As I was weaving my way through, a sudden stinging sensation stopped me in my tracks and made me shout in utter surprise. My cheeks flamed crimson and I whirled around quickly to face whoever the jerk was who pinched my butt.

"You pig!"

I was met with a lopsided smile of some long-haired, drunken freak!

"Hey there gorgeous!" the idiot slurred. "Want some company? You seem alone."

I rolled my eyes despite the fierce reddening of my face._ Thank you mister-point-out-the-obvious-a-lot for reminding me about my friendless state!_ What grass is this guy smoking anyway that it's potent enough to make him think that I'm gorgeous? He's definitely whacked.

In the end, I decided to just ignore him and resume my search. Unfortunately, I was sadly mistaken when I thought that the long-haired troglodyte will leave me alone just like that. He grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him so I can smell his rancid breath. "Leaving so soon beautiful?" he mumbled almost incoherently with a disgusting grin. "But we were just getting to know each other."

"Um," my heart started to beat in a scared rhythm by the way this wasted idiot here was holding me. I tried to shake him off but with no success. My eyes darted around the room for anyone who could save me from the whacked lecher._ Come on, come on please let someone I know pass by_, I thought desperately.

My hope soared when I saw a familiar redhead coming down from the second floor landing._ Kenshin Himura!_ I never thought the day would come that I'd actually be thankful for his presence! And right now, I have no qualms in showing how happy I was to see him.

"Himura! Himura help me!" I yelled frantically but my voice was only drowned out by the sounds of the party and laughing people. Kenshin didn't even hazard a glance towards me.

"What's that?" the pervert continued to grip my arms tightly. "Why are you still looking for someone else, babe? I can assure you that Tsunan here will be more than enough to satisfy your needs."

"Let…me…go…!" I struggled in his grasp but to no avail. My eyes were beginning to blur with impending tears and I was starting to feel sick to my stomach due to helplessness. To make matters worse, I really feel like I'm going to faint any second._ Oh God no not here, not now_! I fought with myself to regain my composure but knew it was a losing battle. Panic and cigar smoke was constricting my airway so I can't bring myself to shout for Himura's help again. Doom rolled over my head ominously and I felt myself choke up with terror.

_Damn you Kenshin!_ I cursed mentally through the haziness of the situation. Damn you for leaving me! Damn you for not hearing my cries for help! Damn you for_ EVERYTHING_!

"Please," I started pitifully. I was never a fighter to begin with so this kind of situation is something I'm not prepared to take on. "Please let me go."

Tsunan, as to be expected, disregarded my struggling attempts completely and continued to drag me away. At that moment a decision came to me. Before I lose hold of myself, I blindly groped around for something, ANYTHING, to defend myself with. And I have to find one quick! My long-haired captor was already dragging me to who-knows-where that I do not wish to know at all! He's even slurring and mumbling some dirty words as he went along.

We passed by a table and my free hand caught hold of something curvy, sleek and hard. Not even thinking twice, my hand wrapped around the bottle tightly and I swung it in front of me as hard as my weak, trembling hand would allow.

What happened next was a blur. There's no need for elaborate explanations or anything of the like. I hit Tsunan's head with an empty beer bottle, plain and simple. The force made him stagger backwards, freeing me in the process, but not enough to draw blood or for the bottle to break or shatter.

Tsunan stepped away, completely dazed due to the alcohol and the blow. He was walking towards the opposite direction without knowing that the sofa was in his direct path…

Before I could call out and stop him, he stumbled on the sofa and got knocked over backwards with a sickening 'thud'.

I clamped my hands over my mouth to stop myself from screaming my head off._ Oh no, is he hurt?_ I know I shouldn't be concerned for the asshole,_ but what if he gets a concussion…or something worse_? I don't want to be blamed later for his own stupidity!

I glanced around, seeking for help. From the distance, I saw the same redhead I've been searching for bobbing up and down to the beat of the music in the living room. My heart instantly lightened up with hope. Frantically, I pushed my way through the crowd to get to Himura who was obviously busy dancing. But just when I was getting near I stopped dead in my tracks, unable to believe or bear what I saw in front of me.

_Kenshin…in the middle of the dance floor…dancing…closely…REALLY close…with…**MEGUMI**!_

And when I say close, it generally means icky, yucky, let's-rub-our-bodies-together-indecently kind of closeness!

I covered my lips with the back of my left hand as my vision swirled._ I think I'm going to retch!_

Swallowing the bitter bile that formed in my mouth, I turned around abruptly on my heels and fled. My eyes burned and tears began to well up inside them. One by one, teardrops started to fall relentlessly on my cheeks; each one a testament of my growing hatred for the man who left me all alone in this place.

Kenshin_… 'you disgusting, lecherous, piece of cow excrement!'_ I angrily screamed these thoughts in my head._ So that's how things are with us, eh? The reason why you couldn't save me from that Tsunan jerk was because you were too busy dirty-dancing with that hussy Megumi!_

Cold, invigorating fresh air whipped me hard on the face when I finally succeeded to escape that hell hole of a house. I vigorously scrubbed my face free from the traces of my tears as I ran further away from that place.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ I scolded myself._ Even with the deal, nothing changed between us. At the end of the day, I still wind up crying because of that red-haired moron!_

Far from me, the steady vibration of the loud music coming from the party thrummed beneath the soles of my flip-flops in rhythmic waves. I turned my head to look back at the house with utter disgust._ Good riddance!_ I thought vehemently._ That's the first and last party I'll ever go to, for the rest of my life!_

I walked away without looking where I was going because my eyes were glued to the house. Because of this, I didn't see the approaching motorcycle that was directly in my path.

There was a flash of light._ Too late!_ When I finally noticed where I was, I knew I won't be able to avoid the speeding vehicle in time to save myself!

I squeezed my eyes shut, afraid to see the impact of the incoming collision. And as I waited, I couldn't help but think of the different memories of my short life and the people associated with those recollections…

Mom…_ I'm sorry if I quarreled with you this morning. I hope you don't embarrass me in my funeral by overacting too much._

Tomoe…_ I loved you like a sister, and I think I still do. I'm still angry with you though, but I hope you'd come to see me on my funeral._

Kenshin…_ I-HATE-YOU-SO-MUCH! If reincarnation is true, I'd still hate you in my other life! I hope you die a very painful and gruesome death!_

Aoshi…

I pressed my lips tightly together and my eyes fluttered open as a tear slithered out and made its way down my chin.

_At least…at least let me see him for the last time…please!_

"Are you all right?"

Aoshi's gentle, though impassive, face popped out of nowhere and addressed me. I smiled in happiness because of this, not even bothering to ask why he was there._ Thank you for granting my last wish God._

And with that, everything blacked out on me…

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Twinkling stars.

Beautiful jewels in the sky.

_And just like any jewel, it is very hard to reach, to attain or to obtain…_

You can't touch the stars, much less have them._ You can only admire them from afar._

Admire and love.

Beautiful.

Unreachable.

No chance.

_Just like the person who saved me, yet again…_

I opened my eyes and I was quickly greeted by the sight of the vast dark canvass of the night sky full of these glittering jewels in different, radiant colors. I suddenly sat up and saw that I was lying on a grassy field; an immense empty space of nothing but greenery as far as the eye can see.

_Where am I?_

"Are you all right?"

It was only then that I realized that I was not alone. I quickly turned to my left and gasped when I saw who it was.

Up a short, grassy steep hill was a Harley. And leaning against the big motorcycle was the guy I earlier wished to see for the last time when I thought I was going to die.

_Aoshi Shinomori…_ His left arm was lazily propped up on top of the seat of the motorcycle while his other hand was deep inside his jeans pocket. His hair was unruly and his eyes were dark. His lips formed a small frown when I failed to answer quickly.

What is this?

Why is he here?

Am I really dead?

If I am dead, then why is my heart beating so fast that I feel like it's gonna burst!_ Dead people don't have hearts that beat anymore, right?_

He slid down the small hill and approached me. He knelt down and scrutinized my face closely. The close proximity suddenly made breathing really hard...and exhilarating at the same time.

_Holy seahorse!_ I can't be dead if I'm still breathing!

"Are you sick?" he asked softly. But my heart and my voice failed on me due to nervousness so I wasn't able to answer once more.

"You're face is red," he informed me passively. "Are you sure you're feeling all right?"

_He's here, he's really here. And he's asking me if I'm fine. He's concerned for me!_ If only I had the strength to even just stand up, I probably would've danced in sheer bliss.

The next thing Aoshi did totally turned my insides into mush!_ He reached out and placed his hand on top of my forehead!_ I had to bite my lower lip to keep myself from freaking out at the contact.

"You're warm," he confirmed. "Maybe I should get you to a doctor. You might be running a fever…"

Though it pains me to do so, I pushed his hand away from me and groggily tried to stand up. "I-I'm fine, really," I stammered. "I, I, I really just need to, to, to get home."

I took my first shaky step but my knees instantly buckled beneath me. With a gasp, I felt myself go down_- and right into Aoshi's arms!_

My face must have turned at least ten different shades of red when he caught me just when I fell. I lowered my eyes and quickly eased out from his grasp due to uneasiness. "Thanks," I mumbled. I lowered myself to the ground once more and pulled my legs to my chest. "I-I just need to rest for a bit I guess…" I explained.

His eyes remained cool and emotionless as he watched me. I self-consciously tucked my bangs behind my ear at his intense stare._ Why is he looking at me like that?_

"Is…is there something on my face?" I queried in a trembling voice when his gaze on me never faltered. But instead of answering, he leaned back on his elbows and looked away. His bored eyes wandered loftily across the inky-black stretch of the night sky. Silence enveloped us once more and I welcomed it._ There's no need for words anyway..._

After a while, he finally spoke, "You shouldn't be standing in the middle of the highway like that. If it had been just another motorist, he may have not missed or stopped in time…"

Realization came to me that he was the one earlier who almost hit me on the road. "I-" I started hesitantly but was stopped. Aoshi had abruptly stood up and shot me a grim look. "You still haven't learned a thing, have you little girl? After I saved you this morning to that bully Megumi, you should've developed at least a bit of survival instinct in your system…"

"-I told you not to expect anyone else to save you from shit and I thought you learned something." He shook his head in dismay, "I guess I was wrong."

I coughed and tears began to well up again in my eyes._ Oh God I'm such a crybaby!_ I bit my lower lip to keep myself from sobbing outright in front of this hardened man. I turned away from him and my head sank deeper between my knees- a poor attempt to hide my reddening eyes.

_It's not my fault!_ I wailed inside my mind._ It's not my fault that you almost ran into me! It's not my fault that I have such low self-esteem! It's not my fault that I'm so weak!_

It's all HIS fault!

Yeah HIM!

It always had been HIM!

_Kenshin Himura!_

I squeezed my eyes shut to keep the tears from escaping. I even sank my teeth on my knees hard to suppress the extreme emotion bubbling inside me._ I want to disappear so bad!_

I felt a hand on top of my left shoulder but I ignored it._ What now? Are you going to give me more recriminations?_ I mentally challenged the person behind me, knowing full well that it was Aoshi.

"Shout."

"What?"

I raised my eyes a bit to look at him. His expression didn't change as he repeated his statement, "Shout."

"W-why?"

He removed his hand from my shoulder and stepped away. "Someone once told me…" his voice suddenly became slightly wistful, "That if you're ever feeling such strong emotions and you think you can't hold them in your chest anymore. All you have to do to release them is to shout."

I continued to look at him with confusion. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips over my obvious puzzlement but it quickly disappeared back to wherever it came from when he noticed that I noticed. "Won't hurt to try," he shrugged nonchalantly. "Besides, no one else is around to hear you aside from me. You can say anything you want here."

And with that, he waved his hands around to emphasize his point. After doing so, he returned his gaze on me and told me softly, "Being honest to yourself…knowing yourself… It's the first step to empowerment."

My lips parted open during his whole speech. When he ended on that note, I looked around my surroundings before my eyes came back to stare at him.

_There was something in his eyes that emboldened me_. There was something about him that I felt like I could just be…_me_. I don't know when, where, how, why or why him of all people that makes me feel this way. But there is a little voice whispering in my heart that urges me to just close my eyes and trust him.

Unsteadily, I slowly got up on my feet. Even though I was having difficulty standing up, he did not move to help me._ Trust yourself. _His message was clear.

_I must do this on my own if I want to become strong._

I inhaled deeply and looked around at the empty space in front of me. Gradually, I brought my hands to my face to cup my mouth for amplification. And in the strongest, loudest, shrillest voice I could muster I shouted…

"I hope you die soon!"

_I want to see you everyday._

"I hope you trip over and puncture that fat head of yours!"

_I hope you'll always be happy._

"I can't believe anyone could like someone with a heart as black as yours! You'd give the devil a run for his money!"

_I can't believe I met you only now._

"I really, really, really despise you!"

_Please love me back._

"IHATE YOU!"

_I love you_

"Kenshin Himura!"

_Aoshi Shinomori…_

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

_Kenshin Himura had a nagging feeling at the back of his head and it just won't stop._

As he was dragged down from the second floor landing, he thought he heard someone call his name in the middle of all the hubbub and partying going around. He stopped at the foot of the stairs to listen but Megumi just won't let him go.

"Hey come on Kenshin!" she cheered at him. "That's my song they're playing."

"Wait Takani-san, did you hear someone shout my name?" he kept his stance and wouldn't budge. "Because I thought I heard someone…"

Truth is, his cheeks were beginning to get really tired smiling at the exasperating woman in front of him._ She's so clingy!_ Kenshin can't believe it,_ but there is actually someone more annoying than Kamiya!_

And speaking of which,_ where is the whiny brat anyway?_

"No I don't think so," he was jolted from his thoughts by a hard tug on Megumi's part as she answered his query. "Though it's hard to tell really, you know, with all this noise and music."

"Right," Kenshin affirmed with a slight nod. He started to leave her with the excuse, "Maybe I should go and check it out. You know, just to be sure… It might be important."

He was barely finished when Megumi giggled and pulled him towards her. "Oh no you don't!" she teased. "You're not getting away that easily!"

Against his protests, she yanked him towards the middle of the room where all the dancing couples were. Once at the center of the dance floor, she instantly plastered her body on his and began to move to the music. Kenshin wanted to tell her to get her boobs off of his face, but was too much of a gentleman to do so.

_He wanted to scream in frustration!_ He's so not interested in this right now!

_Oh sure, being the young, healthy male that he is, Megumi's subtle cues are very tempting indeed._ But how was he supposed to enjoy this opportunity when he's too busy worrying about Kaoru!

_'Darn that girl!'_ He thought angrily._ Where the bloody hell is she?_ Tomoe's not going to be happy if he didn't bring the brat home later, safe and sound.

Kenshin glanced around restlessly._ He's not worried about her dammit!_ He just didn't want to be blamed if something happened to the butterball, that's all!

Again, his old pal _-the irritating voice in his head-_ wouldn't miss this opportunity to torture him more._ 'Not worried, eh?'_ the mysterious voice piped up.

_I am not!_ He vehemently denied.

'_You shouldn't be,'_ the mental voice cooed evilly._ 'People here are nice. Some guy probably already picked her up and gave her a warm bed to sleep on.'_

Kenshin snorted at the idea while he continued to sway with Megumi._ Yeah right! As if any guy would make that mistake!_

'_You know you're right!'_ the evil voice replied, sounding perplexed at his own stupidity._ 'After all,'_ the voice continued sarcastically._ 'NO perverted, drunken loser would bother getting it on with a girl_ -and a lost, naïve and obviously virginal girl at that-_ when there are lots of other women around, beautiful and unattainable women- all ready to easily reject them!'_

This time, Kenshin's smirk disappeared completely and his hands involuntarily turned into tight fists at his side._ No one would dare!_ He threatened, not quite realizing that his face was contorted into a grimace.

'_Right, no one would!'_ the voice confirmed maliciously._ 'No one would…if only you officially announced to everyone that she's YOUR girlfriend.'_

_Shit!_ Now it's a guilt trip.

"I have to go," he started to pry Megumi's hands away from him.

"But!"

'_Oooh, someone's getting worrie-'_ the voice started.

_Shut up!_

Kenshin didn't even look back at Megumi as he hurried away. He pushed his way through the crowd while his eyes searched frantically in the room for Kaoru._ Darn it, darn it, darn it!_ He cursed liberally under his breath._ Where are you Kamiya?_

He searched the first floor but found nothing. Nervously, he looked inside the second floor bedrooms next, fearing for the worst. Much to his great relief, he didn't found her among the couples making out in each room.

_Where could she be?_ He asked this to himself after he apologized to the couple he interrupted inside the last bedroom. Kaoru's not in the kitchen, the living room, the foyer or in any part of the first floor. She's not in the attic or in the second floor consisting of the family bedrooms either, and he's beginning to get really annoyed._ Dammit!_ He's supposed to be enjoying himself tonight,_ not going out in search for that silly girl!_

There's only one place left to search…

He inhaled deeply the refreshing air that blew in his face the moment he stepped out of the house. Tsunan's front yard was littered with kids his age, all just hanging out or drinking booze and totally getting wasted. Kenshin ignored them or their calls to him and carefully scanned the area with growing alarm.

'_Now are you worried?'_ the voice in his head returned.

_This is not good!_ He held his forehead, feeling slightly sick with anxiety._ Where the heck is she!_

A sinking feeling began to weigh down at the pit of his stomach. Endless horrible possibilities passed by inside his head, but one made him cringe more than the others.

The mental image of Kaoru being intimate with someone _–or worse-_ being coerced or forced into submission by some drunken loony with ants in his pants made the blood in his temples pump furiously. The graphic, mental imagery left a bitter taste in his mouth, leaving his nerves raw and electrified. Only one small push now is needed for him to totally explode!_ He's getting angry…_

And as if fate decided to be naughty and put the last spark needed to set his temper ablaze, a rather big Harley Davidson stopped exactly right in front of him. The biker who was driving the big machine was not alone and his companion was obviously a girl (judging by the slightly ripped skirt). As the biker assisted his companion off the vehicle, Kenshin's heart stopped for a second when the other rider finally took her helmet off…

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

_A pipe dream…_

I smiled at Aoshi even though I knew he wouldn't see it with my helmet still strapped on my head as he helped me down his motorcycle. I let myself have the pleasure of staring at his covered face for a while before I brought myself back to reality.

_Get a grip Kamiya_. I scolded myself._ You'll never be anything more to him._

_Stop dreaming while you can before you hurt yourself completely!_

Aoshi promptly removed his helmet and gave me an appraising look. "Are you really sure you don't want me to directly bring you to your house?" he asked kindly. "Do you have any other way to get home?"

I finally removed my helmet, letting my hair rain down on my shoulders. I smiled at his thoughtful gesture and shook my head. "No I'll be fine," I said. "I was with someone when I came here and we're supposed to go home together…"

_Aaah, now I have another bone to pick with Kenshin._ Missing my chance to be brought home by Aoshi just so Himura and I can go together and still look like a couple is just another one of the disadvantages of this stupid deal.

_And speaking of disadvantages…_

"Kaoru!"

My head whipped to the side and instantly I saw my arch-nemesis standing on the porch steps, looking like a recoiled snake ready to pounce. I flinched when I saw his eyes gleaming with obvious antagonism. There was something strange and unusual with this fury flickering in his eyes that chilled me completely to the bone._ This is not his normal anger!_ His face remained cool and placid, but his eyes told me a different story.

_Why is he so angry?_

"It's your boyfriend," Aoshi told me.

I nodded stiffly._ Why oh why did you have to ruin my last moments with Aoshi, Himura!_

"He looks angry."

"He's always angry."

"And yet he's your boyfriend."

I looked up at Aoshi's indiscernible eyes and shrugged. "That's the way things are…"

"What an unusual answer, especially coming from a woman supposedly in love with the guy…" he commented dryly.

I looked away from his probing gaze._ What was I supposed to say about that?_ I was about to reply but was stopped when I felt a hand tightly grip my right upper arm. I turned around and saw Kenshin, his eyes almost gleaming amber with silent rage. "I have to take you home now Kaoru. It's getting late."

I winced when his hold tightened, and instantly my old fear for him quickly resurfaced._ Now I really wish that I didn't come back for him after all!_

"She's not going with you."

I inhaled sharply when Shinomori-san took hold of my left hand and pulled me away from Himura. His expression was stony and his eyes were challenging the angry redhead to make a move. Technically, Aoshi was taller than Kenshin and you could say Shinomori-san has the upper hand in this intimidation match._ That is, if these are just regular people in a regular stare-off…_

Unfortunately, regardless of height differences, Kenshin is not the one to be intimidated easily (or even at all, based on experience). What Himura lacked in stature, he made up with the piercing iciness of his eyes that,_ I have to admit_, not even Shinomori-san can equal.

I shivered visibly at the obvious animosity between the two. The tension was turning my insides into lead.

"She's coming with me Shinomori," Kenshin asserted. "Keep your nose out of our business, she's MY girlfriend."

"What a weird way to take care of your girlfriend; letting her be molested by that Tsunan guy in that party and not coming to her aid," Aoshi coolly replied.

I gasped when Aoshi said this._ Why did he tell him?_ I told Aoshi the story earlier, just to get it off my chest._ I trusted him not to tell anyone!_

Shock and disbelief clouded Kenshin's eyes, weakening his hold on me. Aoshi took that opportunity to completely pull me away from Kenshin and put some distance between me and my_ supposed_ boyfriend.

Himura turned to look at me and I expected him to say a lot of things to discredit that. After all he always believed that no guy will ever like me._ 'Who would want a girl like you?'_ as he always put it. And I braced myself to defend my honor if needed.

I prepared myself for anything nasty that he'll say. ANYTHING,_ except for thosefour words…_

"Are you all right?"

His expression softened so suddenly that I couldn't do anything else but gape back in surprise. He didn't seem to notice my astonishment and he continued, "Are you all right? Were you hurt?"

Uneasily, I averted my gaze and rubbed my left upper arm awkwardly at his sudden and unexpected change of attitude. Where's the smirk? Where are the words of disbelief? Where are the biting cracks or the insulting remarks?_ More to the point, where's the real Kenshin Himura?_

When I failed to answer, Aoshi graciously lifted the burden from me and told Kenshin the answer. "She's fine and she was able to take care of herself even without your help."

"-And that's why she'll also be able to go home without you either."

Leaving Himura stupefied, Shinomori-san picked up my helmet and handed it over to me once more. "Let's go Kaoru."

_Know yourself…_

I've learned your lesson well Aoshi.

I gazed at the helmet for a while, then at Aoshi's face, then at Kenshin. Confusion took over me on what I should do…_but it was only for a split second._

I reached a decision and there will be no turning back.

Aoshi...when I shouted my feelings earlier, I realized three things about myself.

_I'm in love._

_I'm desperate._

_I've never wanted anything or anyone this much in my entire life._

And I'm not just talking about Shinomori-san here either.

Yelling my hatred for Himura reminded me why I'm putting up with Kenshin's presence in the first place._ THE PLAY!_ I want that play! It's where my future lies as an actress. It's where I can prove to everyone,_ especially to Himura_, once and for all that I am not a waste of space- that I am not completely incompetent and useless in general.

_I'm doing this for myself._

_This is for my future._

And Aoshi, as much as I wish it would be, I know my future is not with you. I know I can never be anything more to you than just the girl you always save from trouble.

Nothing more…

_A pipe dream._

_Unreachable star._

But I can do the next best thing, right? I cannot reach for the stars, so I'll settle for a very big neon sign. Just as sparkly -not as magnificent- but more attainable nonetheless.

_And that is to get into that play._

So that means I have to work doubly hard to succeed in Mr. Okina's condition._ This is the first step after all…_

_So there's only one logical thing to do then..._

I looked at the helmet once more and shook my head. "Thanks for everything Aoshi," I smiled wanly. "But I think I'll stay here with Kenshin."

He was obviously surprised and he cocked an eyebrow skeptically down on me. "Are you sure about this?" he offered gently. "You know you don't have to go with him, just because he's your boyfriend and stuff…"

I know he's saying something else._ He must be thinking about my shouts of loathing for Kenshin earlier._ I can understand his apprehension and doubt.

"You're wrong Aoshi."

I stared up at him and placed a consoling hand on top of his. Afterwards, I left his side and walked up to Kenshin. All the while this was happening, Himura was watching me silently; probably wondering why I'm ditching the opportunity to go with the guy I love in favor to be with my sworn enemy.

I ran my teeth over my lower lip and offered Himura a fleeting half-smile. Slipping my hand in his, I turned to Aoshi once more_ and pounded the last nail on my coffin..._

_Unattainable star..._

_My jewel..._

I quickly pushed these thoughts away at the back of my mind. "I'm not doing this just because I'm his girlfriend." I told Shinomori as I entwined my fingers with Kenshin's; though I could feel his reluctance at first. I turned to gaze at his lavender eyes before leaning on his shoulder in a flagrant show of affection.

"Then why did you-?"

I giggled, "Silly, isn't it obvious? What other reason could I have for acting crazily the way I do?"

In a painful smile that made my heart die, I told the ebony-haired man in front of me the words that I know will completely banish any chance I have of ever being with him...

"I'm madly in love with this moron beside me, or couldn't you tell?"

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

_**A/N: Prelims are over but I'm not out of the woods yet. I'm really sorry if I can't update "Love by Mistake" for now. Conflict of emotions and decisions, you see… I'll really, really, really try my best to update that next! I swear I was already typing the next chapter for 'LbyM' when I got stumped in the middle of the chapter. Really, really sorry for the readers…I hope you guys could forgive me for not keeping my word...**_

_**(-o-)**_

**_On a lighter note, don't you think this particular chapter is, umm, too long? Is it kinda dragging for you readers? Please do tell me what you think about the length and I'll consider it on my next updates._**

**_And now…for the answers on questions and uncommon reactions:_**

**/Crystal Winds/** You can say that Tomoe agreed to win her friend's trust back. On the first chapter, she showed that she still cared for her former best friend and was quite guilty for choosing Kenshin over her.

**/Kenshinlover2002/** About Aoshi's feelings for Kaoru…well I won't say anything conclusive. But next chapter you will find out something VERY interesting about our silent, love interest number 2.

**/Phi-Dono/** Oops! Nothing here about how Aoshi reacted to seeing his jacket in the trash can (or maybe he hasn't found out yet). Thanks for the greeting!

**/Taleyn/** Well as I've said, Tomoe agreed to the setup because she wanted to be Kaoru's friend again. Trust me, Tomoe is not the antagonist here.

**/Blueunknown/** Dude! Thanks for the multiple reviews lol! I appreciated it a lot!

**/Kaoru4/** Glad that you liked the Ao-Kao interactions last chapter. How about this chapter? Lol! Sometimes I'm often torn between the idea of Kenshin for Kaoru or Aoshi for Kaoru. In the beginning and in the story summary, I haven't said anything about the definite love team ending here, or have I? -grins mischievously-

**/Celest4/** Oh yes, your review was much more than I could ever want as a birthday gift, thanks! Please do sing the Chinese version even though my birthday is already well past. Oh yeah about the note, I was in grade school when a teacher embarrassed her two students by reading aloud the note she caught. It was_ soooo _embarrassing for my classmates. Oh and my grade school teachers curse and cuss a lot, so I thought here in my story that it wouldn't be unexpected if Hanya also read the curse word in the end.

Now about the other characters, well the first major character shown here is Sano and the other major character I promised to introduce is Sayo Muto/Amakusa (or Lady Magdala in the anime series). Tsunan is Sano's friend in the anime (in case someone forgot) and he's the third major character to be presented. Akira (Tomoe's fiancé in the OVA) is just a backstage props, nothing really major going on for him (Not until the ending, that is. And you'll know why). So that's three all in all, just like I promised. But I'll be sure to make cameo appearances of the other fave RK characters (Soujirou, Misao etc.) for the readers benefit.

Thanks again Liezel!_ -hugs Celest tightly until her eyes turned into cross marks-_

**/Hikari-Kawaii/** Misao will probably only make a few cameo appearances here and there. She's not going to be a major character here, sorry. It's because I realized that she's already the major character in three of my other stories.

**/Crasyducky/** Thanks for pointing out some grammar mistakes. Those words that are not separated are caused by the quickedit program of fanfictionDOTnet. I swear I always check the spelling before I update. But usually, when I'm looking it over on quickedit, I add a bit of this and a bit of that to complete the feel of the chapter. And that's how and where I get those mistakes…

**/princess-oro/** Well her makeover won't happen until much, much later. Hope you'll hang around 'till then.

**/Painin Uranus/** Oh I don't mind telling people what my age is. I'm 18 this year, officially an adult (:D) Lol! Thanks for coming into my defense about the grammar mistakes. And about your idea, it's not very far from what I was planning.

**/Kitsune55/** Waah Kitsune I'm so sorry! You're always urging me to finish LbyM and I feel so down whenever I disappoint an avid reader. THIS TIME I'm really going to make sure that my next update will be that story! -pounds at chest- I'm really going to do it! Oh and about battousai, no he's not going to appear or anything. I think that persona only fits dark or angsty storylines. Well my genre usually falls under romance-fantasy or romance-humor.

**/Alderine/** Yes Misao will be in the story but not as a major character. And no, she's not going to end up with Aoshi here, sorry to disappoint those who are hoping…

**/legolasEstelstar/** Thanks for understanding that I cannot update as easily as when I first started writing here in fanfictionDOTnet, as I do now. Especially since college is a bit more of a handful than high school. Hope you liked this chapter and that it made up for the time it took to update.

**/Ice Angel Kaoru/** Kaoru doesn't hate all guys in general. She didn't say that specifically, right? Just Kenshin in particular. And for the rest of the male populace, well let's say she's just too naïve and too shy to try to mingle with them. Mental issue? Lolz! Sorry for confusing you or making you worry. When I described her as slightly neurotic, it's what you call in English class as hyperbole or exaggeration, 'kay? I hope that clears things up. She is, admittedly, always depressed though… Beta reader? That will be kewl! Thanks! Editing is too much of a hassle to me, especially when the chapters are long.

**/And lastly, thanks to…/**_ Jisusaken, anonymous, Sekushi-san, Kenchan (salamat ng marami!), JMai, Lendra-chan, serlglee, Attic Cat (Do you know a Korean show by the same name? Lolz!), samuraiduck27_, and to my non-reviewing readers for all their praise and support!

**_Thanks to everyone who greeted me on my birthday! I love you all so much! (:D) And I'd love you all even more if you'd give my other story "Head Over Feet" (shameless plugging, I know) a chance. (;P) Well I guess that's all for this installment, 'till next time ciao2x!_**

**_P.S._** I'll be pretty busy for the next few days reading HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. Wheeeeeeeeeee! No spoilers in your reviews, please!

**_P.S.S._** If you guys can, please download/buy the album of the band M.Y.M.P.! They're so great! I love their soft, mellow acoustic soundz_ sooo_ much! Just perfect for chilling out or reading a great, sappy fanfiction or original fiction (lately, I'm hooked reading different stories in fictionpressDOTcom). I especially love the song** 'Kailan' **(direct Filipino translation: **'When?'**)**, 'Tell Me Where It Hurts'**, their version of** 'Crazy for You'** (better than spongecola!) and their version of **'Power of Two'**!

**_P.S.S.S._** My fictionpress account is under the name k2bu4ever. Check out my favorites list for great reads in that site!


	6. the turbulent sea

Words…

_Sometimes_, words seem irrelevant especially when the situation is already far from help.

And then_, there are some words that could mean everything in the world for a person._

But more often…_words are never enough._

There comes a time though when just ONE will suffice.

One word…_to make a new beginning._

To make things better…

_Just one…_

"Sorry."

I looked away and rubbed my left upper arm to warm it up a bit against the cold air-conditioning air. I shifted my gaze from one dark, silhouetted object after another as I stared at the passing scenery outside with casual indifference.

_Sorry…_

Just a word.

_One word._

"I'm sorry," Kenshin repeated; probably thinking that I didn't hear him the first time around.

"Why?"

"What?" Kenshin momentarily tore his eyes away from the road to look at me. "What do you mean 'why'?" his brows were furrowed. "I'm apologizing to you because-"

"Doesn't matter…"

I exhaled wearily, making the glass pane next to my lips mist over. I turned away from the window and faced him solemnly. "It doesn't matter…"

"After all,_ 'Sorry'_ is just a word."

We locked gazes for a short while. Finally, he was the first one to avert his gaze and return it to the road ahead. After looking at him for a few more seconds, I too went back to my original position; inclining my head against the window.

"I meant it you know," he replied seriously after a while.

"It doesn't matter," I repeated listlessly.

"Yes it does!" he suddenly slammed on the brakes, jerking me forward. But unlike before, I didn't even bat an eyelash at his actions.

_I just didn't care anymore._

"Listen Kamiya," he turned to look at me from his seat; his voice a tad stronger than usual. "I'm not apologizing for what I did earlier to Aoshi. I don't give a damn about him! What I'm asking for forgiveness is for leaving you all alone in that party and-"

"And what Himura?" I was finally roused from my shell of apathy to cast him a challenging look. "Would it have changed anything? So what if you're with me? Would you have prevented that Tsunan guy from harassing me with your presence?" I pursed my lips tightly together to keep me from totally losing control of myself.

"I…well of cour-" he began.

"No, nothing would've changed!" I lashed out. "You know why? Because why would people care if you're with me? After all, I'm just TOMOE'S BESTFRIEND THAT YOU KINDLY DECIDED TO ESCORT to the film fest upon her request. Am I not right?"

"So tell me," I looked at him pointedly. "Do you think after saying that, it would have stopped Megumi from snatching you away from me for the whole night? Much less, prevent Tsunan from making a pass to your girlfriend's best friend that you were just_ 'accompanying'_!"

I was slightly out of breath by the time I finished. Kenshin swallowed guiltily and fidgeted a bit in his seat. "I went out looking for you," he whispered in his defense.

My eyes closed and I sighed. I leaned back to my seat heavily and blew up some air. "It doesn't matter anymore Himura," I held my forehead. "Really. There's no use crying over spilled milk," I even quoted.

I thought that was the end of that discussion and waited for him to start the car once more. But to my surprise, seconds passed and I still didn't feel the motor come to life. I opened one eye to gaze at him questioningly. Kenshin was slouched over, his arms on top of the steering wheel as he stared at the inky blackness of the road ahead of us.

"Himura?" I queried.

"You chose me over Aoshi," he uttered this almost absent-mindedly.

"I chose my future career over him," I corrected.

He shrugged. "The play is more important, eh?"

"No man is worth it."

"So you say," he replied dryly.

"Where are you going with this Himura?" I was getting quite annoyed now. I straightened my back and arched an eyebrow at him. "Your involvement in my personal life starts when there are other people around, and ends when there's just the two of us."

Kenshin leaned back and gave me a boyish smile. Cupping his chin with his index finger and thumb, he cast me a thoughtful look. "Kamiya it's just that," he hesitated for only a second. "Haven't you ever heard of the old saying:_ 'It's lonely at the top'_?"

"I've always been alone Kenshin. More so when Tomoe started to date you," I answered calmly with just a hint of bitterness in my voice. "It won't be any different."

For a while, a thick silence descended upon us. Neither one of us was willing to break the trance of the moment… I let my words sink in to Himura.

Finally, I inhaled deeply and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear to shatter the stillness of the moment. "So can you bring me home now, please? It's getting really late."

"It's only ten thirty," he looked at his wristwatch. "Still early if you ask me."

"It's a school night Himura," I reminded him impatiently.

"So you'll be a little late tomorrow morning," he grinned cheekily. Kenshin groped for something beneath him and adjusted the angle of his seat. He casually raised his arms behind him and cradled the back of his head with his hands before he returned his attention to me. "I love to sit back like this whenever I want to relax you see," he explained with a smile.

I directed a cocked eyebrow down at him to indicate my lack of interest.

"So," he began, "What's your favorite flavor of jam?"

I scrunched up my face in a bewildered expression. "Is there any point in you doing this?" I asked him pointedly.

"Darling," he sarcastically drawled, making me flinch with that endearment. "It's just that I realized that I know so little about MY girlfriend." He spread out his hands in a giving manner, "_SO_ how can we pretend that we're intimate when we don't even know personal bits of information like this about each other?"

"Oh!"_ Point taken._ I couldn't help but admire him just a teensy-weensy bit for that idea. "Er, well…" I stammered. "Well I guess that's reasonable."

"So…?" he prompted.

"No jam." I shook my head. "I'm strictly a plain, white bread kind of eater."

"That's so boring," he commented with a yawn.

"That's me," I shrugged.

He nodded his head in understanding. Afterwards he spoke up again, "Which do you prefer? Onion rings or Hash browns?"

"Excuse me?" I threw him a puzzled look._ Is food all he ever thinks about?_ Kenshin only grinned at my puzzlement as he pulled back his seat in its original upright position before he started the car once more. "What I mean is-" he laughingly pointed out, "-if you don't mind discussing this over at Burger King. I'm starving!"

"Oh," I coughed out a small chuckle. Smiling weakly, I nodded my head, "Sure, no problem. I'm actually feeling a mite peckish myself."

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

_One word…_

"Yeah!"

I swallowed and followed that action with a quick drink of water. I couldn't suppress the amused smile that fought its way to my lips as I conceded, "Okay, okay you win! So you can stuff more hash browns in your mouth than I can. SO what?"

His laugh was deep, resonant and satisfyingly rich. Kenshin grinned pleasantly and I had to duck my head to hide the blush that crept its way up to my cheeks._ What the hell!_ Why am I reacting to him this way? Just because Himura is suddenly all buddy-buddy with me doesn't mean-

"Hey, how about soda-chugging next?" Kenshin grinned mischievously as he raised his plastic cup in my face. "Bet I could get more refills than you!"

I wrinkled my nose at him, "That's so immature."

"Right," he rolled his eyes disbelievingly at me. "And what do you think about the hash browns and French fries contest earlier? Not exactly the Olympics either if you ask me."

"I'm surprised that an athlete such as yourself could be so lax in your diet." I sneaked a peek at his slim yet finely-toned body beneath the loose shirt he's wearing. "Shouldn't you be worried about your form or something like that?" I quirked an eyebrow at him.

"I could ask you the same thing," he noisily munched on two pieces of fries that he held between his fingers. "Girls are usually too conscious with their figure. All those hash browns will go directly to your thighs you know." He pointed the aforementioned upper legs using the French fry in his hand

I looked down at my skinny legs and shrugged, "I'm so thin that I don't think a few fat additions to my thighs are actually a bad thing. Besides, I don't care."

"Same here! So we're even," he grinned devilishly as he finished the remaining fries in front of him. "Besides," he happily licked his fingers for the remaining taste. "You can't eat these luxuries once you become old, so now is the perfect time to enjoy them."

"Enlightening," I replied dryly with a sarcastic smile. I folded my arms to my chest tightly and said to him, "We should really be going home now."

Kenshin wiped his lips with a napkin first before he cocked a questioning eyebrow at me. "Why are you in such a hurry?" he motioned his hand lazily at the darkness of the night through the large windows next to us. "The night is still young you know. If we were still in the party, then we would still be busy having fun and-

"If we're still in the party," I cut him off. "Then I'd be busy convincing you that we need to go home now! Or have you forgotten that we have Professor Shougo Amakusa for first period tomorrow morning?"

"Man!" Kenshin sighed in frustration. "That's exactly the kind of attitude that doesn't get you invited to parties, you know!"

He said it so casually and almost in an inattentive kind of manner that I don't think he genuinely meant that statement as offensive. Thus, I decided to ignore the seemingly unintentional insult. Instead, I cleared my throat and replied slowly, "After my initiation to these savage, teenage rites you call a_ 'party'_, I'm not exactly sure if not getting invited to another one is really a disadvantage for me."

"It's your first time," he assured me. "You'll get used to it."

"I don't think I want to," I answered flatly.

Kenshin shrugged, "You have to. I'm your boyfriend remember? And that means going with me to these_ -what did you call it again?-_ savage, teenage rites."

It's my turn to groan out loud at the prospect. "No way," I muttered helplessly.

Kenshin started to get up on his feet as he inserted his keys inside his pocket once more. "Yes way," he answered merrily as he started towards the door. "Come on lazy butt, let's move."

"Hey! Where are you going?" I called out to him when I realized that he was leaving. He stopped before he reached the entrance and turned to me. Instead of answering, he winked at me and motioned with his shoulders for me to get a move on. He pushed his way through the glass doors while I frantically grabbed my stuff from the table and hurried to catch up on him.

Upon stepping out to the parking lot, I saw him waiting for me at the passenger side of the car. He gallantly opened the door for me with a mysterious smile that made me both curious and nervous at the same time.

"Where are we going?" I asked him as he was about to close the door. He clucked his tongue teasingly, "Just wait and you'll see!"

Excitedly, he took his seat behind the driver's wheel and took off.

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

"This is stupid!"

I grumbled out loud as Kenshin guided me towards a place he said was special. His hands were covering my eyes so I had to hold onto him for support. "Quiet," he shushed. "Be patient, we're almost there…"

The little hairs on my neck stood on end when his breath feathered my nape and left ear. I swallowed uncomfortably due to our close proximity. "But you already said that thirty minutes ago!" I complained to hide the fiery coloring that tainted my cheeks.

"Liar!" Kenshin cooed teasingly in my ear. "It had only been seventeen minutes since I last said that. I kept count you know."

"Wise guy!" I hissed back.

He laughed. "We're here!" he happily exclaimed instead.

Any further protests that I had at the tip of my tongue died inside my throat when I saw the spectacle in front of me. We were standing atop a small, grassy hill overlooking the most beautiful view I have ever seen in my life! Giant, foamy waves rolling and breaking at the surf, the pale full moon illuminating the dark-green depths of the sea, coarse sand looking powdery-white against the light of the moon…

_It's the beach at night._ But the beauty it boasted in the morning when the beach bums, sun soakers and surfers littered the shores, was nothing compared to the scenic splendor in front of my eyes.

I licked my lips as I stepped away from my companion while my eyes drank in the view of the seaside below us. Grinning, I felt Kenshin walk up beside me to assess my reaction. "Beautiful isn't it?"

Actually, he didn't wait for me to answer because he already grabbed my arm and dragged me downwards towards the shoreline. We slid down the hill and ran towards the sea.

"H-hey!" I cried out in alarm when I realized what he wanted to do since he wasn't stopping. "We can't go there!"

"Yes we can!" Kenshin hollered over his shoulder. But I planted my feet firmly to the ground and absolutely refused to budge. He turned to look at me and I shook my head vigorously to express my disagreement.

"Suit yourself!" he shrugged, unconcerned, before he dashed away. He started to shed his clothes off as he ran towards the biggest wave I've ever seen in my entire life! I gasped and looked away when I saw that he was down to just his boxers. I desperately hid the crimson shade on my face while I distinctly heard his shouts of joy as he dove towards the sea.

Kenshin's head finally resurfaced after a few, nervous heartbeats. He spurted water as he laughed out loud; shaking the water out of his thick, red mane.

"Immature!" I yelled out, laughing.

"Old biddy!" he chuckled as he shouted back. He splashed some water around him and gestured for me to join him, "Come on! The water is fine!"

"Yeah I'll bet," I muttered with a smile. "No thanks! I don't want to get pneumonia!" I hollered back at him.

Kenshin was about to answer back when another waved swallowed him up completely before he could react. I laughed out loud when he finally re-emerged, gasping and coughing for air._ He just looked so funny!_

But the laughter died in my throat when I saw him come out of the water and march towards me with a determined look on his face._ Oh no! What's he gonna do?_ Sensing danger, I turned around to run away from him but ended up getting tackled to the sand instead.

"Think it was so funny?" Kenshin cackled maniacally above me. He hauled me above his shoulders in a fireman's hold with a devilish grin, "Let's see how you'll like it yourself grandma!"

"Let me go!" I shrieked when I guessed from the mischievous look on his face what he was planning to do. "Himura I'm serious! I don't want to get wet!" I gasped as I pounded my fists on his back. "At least let me remove my glasses first!"

As to be expected, he ignored my protests and even sped up faster towards the dark, powerful, crashing waves. I screamed for the last time and closed my eyes tightly when, in just one great dive,_ he and I became one with the sea …_

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

I hugged my knees to my chest while I watched the mysterious, turbulent ocean before me collide and break down against the huge boulders not far from the shore where I was sitting. The moon above decided to play hide and seek behind ominous, bluish-gray clouds that left the place a bit too dark for comfort; with nothing but the twinkling stars to provide a blurred kind of illumination.

The wind picked up some strands of my hair and it flowed softly along the breeze. I licked my lips, tasting the salt of the sea.

Kenshin bent forward near where I was sitting to feed the fire with the dry sticks he gathered. His wet, half-naked body was glistening against the light of the fire. I turned away, blushing furiously.

"That's better," he smiled in satisfaction as he dropped next to me. He laid his back on the sand and used his hands to prop his head up. He turned to me with a naughty grin, "You sure you don't want to get out of those wet clothes?"

I sniffed the air haughtily at this, "Like I'd really strip in front of you!"

"Why? You mean to tell me that there's actually a body worth looking at under that stiff, starched blouse that you dare call a dress?"

"Himura, with your libido, I won't be surprised if you get aroused looking at a cow!"

He laughed at this and I couldn't help but join him._ It feels so strange… _Just a few hours ago I was screaming my heart out about all my hatred for him. And now we're here, teasing each other, sharing a laugh and a cozy fire together. It's so_…unreal!_ Like being in the twilight zone or something.

_Life can be so messed up sometimes._

And the most surprising part is that I never expected it to be this…_nice._

Kenshin pointed at the sky and whistled, "Hey will you look at that!"

I looked up and my mouth fell open._ There it was!_ Right in front of our eyes was a falling star. I never thought I'd ever see one in my entire life!

_This night is so full of surprises._

I felt him rise to a sitting position. He joined me in awed silence as we watched the twinkling light move across the sky, leaving a shimmering, silver trail in its wake.

"Why don't you make a wish?" he nudged me with his elbow.

My eyes followed the star before I slowly turned to face him. He was grinning and his eyes twinkled roguishly._ I never thought I'd say this_, but he looked so boyish and so sweet at that moment that I suddenly have this impulse to reach up to him and pinch him silly!

_Another surprise of the night there._

"That's stupid," I replied.

"Won't hurt to try, right?" he insisted with an indulgent smile.

I looked at him, then at the star, then back at him with uncertainty. His eyes were dancing with mischief and the reflection of the fire sprinkled his deep, violet eyes with flecks of orange and red tints.

For a while there,_ the sight of him took my breath away…_

"Well?"

I was jerked back from my reverie by the sound of his voice. I smiled tentatively, unsure and confused about these sudden and unexpected stirrings in my heart._ Where are these strange feelings coming from?_

"If you think it's such a good idea, then why don't you do it?" I challenged him.

"Oh come on!" he sighed. "And where's the fun in that?"

I giggled and looked away from his frustrated expression. "Oh fine, I'll do it! I'll do it if-" I trailed off.

"If what?"

"If you'll join me."

He cocked a playful eyebrow down at me and I laughingly defended myself. "I know, I know, I know!" I waved my hands in my face. "I know you're probably thinking that you have everything that you wanted in your life now._ 'So what else is there to wish for?'_ you might be asking. But then you never know if there's-"

I was stopped when Kenshin grabbed my left hand and enclosed it in his. I turned to look at him with confusion but he only grinned playfully in return.

"You're wrong," he answered firmly. "There's something I've always wished for since I was a child that I still haven't gotten yet…" At this, he closed his eyes and whispered, "So yeah, I'll wish along with you."

_Something he wished for ever since he was a child and still wanted it even now as an adult?_ I cast him a mystified stare but his eyes were closed so he didn't see it._ I wonder what it could be…?_

But I chose not to think about it too much._ 'He'll tell me if he wants to,'_ I assured myself.

_He'll tell me…_

_In due time…_

_Whatever it was…_

I closed my eyes and started to pray with all of my heart.

And so, under the light of the stars, Himura and I made a wish…

A wish…_that came from the heart._

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

When it was finally all over, we opened our eyes almost at the same time and grinned.

"So what did you wish?" he gave me jolly nudge with his elbow.

"What else?" I chuckled. "The play of course! It's the only thing that matters to me right now, anyway."

"Yeah?"

"Yup!"

He became silent. The expression on his eyes contrasted the smile on his lips sharply and I have this nagging feeling that he's faking his enthusiasm.

But if it's true…_then why?_

"You only get to see a shooting star at least once or twice in your lifetime and you wasted it by wishing about some dumb-" he was murmuring.

I cocked my head inquiringly and asked him, "Excuse me? What are you muttering about now?"

That snapped him out of whatever slump he's in and he shook his head. "Nothing," he assured. "I was just…thinking out loud"

I cast him a suspicious look at first but decided to just finally shrug it away. "So what did you wish?" It was my turn to ask him.

At this, his eyes only twinkled impishly before he looked away. He shrugged nonchalantly, "Nothing…"

"Hey!" I protested.

"I'm serious. Don't sweat about it. It's nothing that'll interest you."

"I doubt it," I replied out loud.

"Pardon?" he threw me a puzzled look.

I exhaled noisily, "I mean if it's something you've wanted ever since you were a child and even up to now, then it's probably something really special!"

At this, he smirked and scoffed down at me, "What made you think that it's a_ 'something'_ and not a_ 'someone'_?"

Kenshin laughed when he saw the look of bewilderment on my face. He even leaned forward, closer to my face to tease me up close. "Well?" he prompted.

"Someone?" I repeated dumbly. He nodded in affirmation.

"Is it a_ –God forbid-_ a man? A woman? Boy? Girl?"

"What do you think?" he edged closer with a naughty grin.

I ducked my head between my knees to hide my face from him._ I was blushing and I knew it!_ And I don't know why either!_ Why am I acting silly regarding his stupid question!_

I decided to change the topic and return to my earlier indignation. "That's unfair," I pouted. "I told you what I wished!"

"Too bad," he shrugged and winked.

I raised my head and wrinkled my nose in irritation, "I hate it when you do that."

"And that's why I'll keep on doing it," he grinned audaciously.

Our gazes locked in a challenge, trying to stare each other down. But I was the first one to lower my eyes and he smirked at this.

And then there was silence between us once more, save for the sound of the crashing waves against the surf.

The first one to break the stillness was him. "You did a convincing act back there."

"What?"

"Convincing Shinomori," he explained. "Your words earlier, remember?"

The memories flooded back and I felt my eyes burn and my chest tighten with the pain.

_Why oh why did Kenshin have to remind me?_

I averted my eyes to the other direction and forced my voice to sound casual, "I said what was needed to be said…"

"That you're in love with me?"

I nodded stiffly.

I felt him inch closer beside me and I had to grit my teeth to stop myself from lashing out at him. All the good mood I had earlier instantly vanished with just that one question.

It's funny…_how words can oftentimes destroy something so wonderful all too easily._

"If you were able to convince him," Kenshin persisted. "Do you think you can do it with the others too?"

_Oh God you just can't leave it alone, can you Himura?_ "I don't know," I responded peevishly, hoping he'd take the hint. "Maybe…"

"You have to be sure!" he insisted.

"Look I was under pressure back there!" I exploded and scooted away from him. "I don't know if, under normal circumstances, I could pull it off just as convincingly as I did tonight in front of Aoshi!"

I was breathing hard by the time I finished. Kenshin eyed me with a grim expression but didn't retaliate_- which was really strange._ Himura without a comeback is like a hotdog without mustard.

"Are you finished?" he asked after a while.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I cried out indignantly. "You think I'm just a spoiled child throwing a temper tantrum here?"

I didn't wait for him to answer because I was already up on my feet. I bolted away, wanting to leave that place. But I hardly made any headway when he was able to catch up to me. Holding me by my upper arms, he turned me around to face him.

"Dammit!" he shouted. "Don't you ever stay long enough to finish an argument?"

"Fuck off!"

Kenshin never expected that so he was awfully surprised. His hold on me loosened and I took that opportunity to wrestle my hand free._ But I was wrong to think that Kenshin won't be able to recover quick enough._ I barely made three steps when he was able to grab me again! This time, he hoisted me off my feet to prevent me from running away.

"Let me go!" I yelled, trying to kick his shins as he lifted me from the ground. Kenshin hauled me up his shoulders like what he did earlier and carried me away.

"You asshole! You jerk! You good for nothing piece of chicken shit! LET-ME-GO!" Oh boy,_ four insults _said_ to the most popular boy in Seirin High in just one day_ (including the 'retard' thing earlier)… I'm on a roll here!

I hit him repeatedly on his back with my small, weak fists but he acted like a fly was beating him instead. The insult surged in my head, powering my strikes._ I was so mad!_

But soon enough, my blows gradually weakened due to exhaustion. And my shouts, in turn, became pitiful, hoarse whispers. "Let…me…go…"

Kenshin set me down on the sandy ground gently and peered at my puffy-red eyes through my bangs. He parted the hair away from my forehead and dried the tear sitting precariously on the edge of my left eye with his thumb.

"You're crying."

He inhaled deeply before he removed his hand from my face. He stood up and towered above me. In a soft voice he spoke, "You didn't want to be with me."

I sniffed loudly.

"So why did you choose me when you had the opportunity to be with Shinomori?"

I laughed hollowly at this, "Because of the play of course! You know that as well as I do!"

He knelt in front of me and took hold of my chin. He directed my face to look at him and what I saw on his face amazed me. There was a strange light in his eyes. An emotion flickered behind those lavender depths that I couldn't decipher.

_What is he feeling right now?_

"Right…the play," he nodded his head. "It was a difficult decision for you. But you made it just the same- all for the sake of getting on that play…"

"So tell me, since now that you have practically thrown away your chance to be with the one person that makes you happy… Don't you think that all your sacrifice will all be for nothing if we fail on this stipulation now?"

I continued to look at him quietly. My tears have finally ceased but now my eyes felt raw and dry. Migraine was beginning to creep up to my head, but that's not the worst part._ What's unacceptable was that he was making sense!_

Kenshin took my hands in his and squeezed it encouragingly. I was taken aback by this sudden show of compassion and I squirmed uncomfortably under his touch.

_Why is he being so nice? He's confusing me!_ The Kenshin Himura I know will never do these things -or say these things- to me!

"Don't you think you owe it to yourself to succeed on this?" his voice cutting through my muddled thoughts.

I didn't answer him immediately. I just stared at him for a while before I replied quietly, "You're just guilty."

He chose not to answer.

I looked down on our intertwined fingers and extracted my hands from his hold. "Why are you doing this?" I asked him.

Again, Kenshin decided that silence was his best response.

"I know you feel guilty because I'm miserable for choosing you and not Aoshi." I sighed wearily and continued, "Well I want you to know that I hold no one else accountable for the decisions I make in my life but myself."

I ran my teeth over my lower lip as I fiddled the hem of my skirt restlessly. Finally, I met his gaze and I saw that he was still looking at me intently. "What?" I asked him.

"Why does the play mean so much to you?"

I hesitated to answer._ Yes I haven't told him the -real- reason behind my persistence_…or have I?_ But what's he going to think when I tell him that it has been my lifelong dream to become a great actress?_ And that by getting into the school play, I was hoping that the great director Mr. Shishio Makoto will notice my performance and choose me to be his next big star…

_How pathetic does that sound?_

He's right though. Since I've given up on my chances with Aoshi, I should at least make sure that my decision was not in vain.

_I have to succeed!_

It's for my pride…

It's for my sense of self-worth…

But most of all…_it's for me!_

"Well Kaoru…?" he prompted.

"I can't tell you," I murmured softly.

Himura held his gaze on me for a few heartbeats and then sighed wearily. He stood up on his feet and extended his hand to me. "We should be going now. You might catch a cold in those wet clothes."

At first I only looked at the hand he offered to me with uncertainty. But after a few coaxing, I finally took it and he pulled me up with it. He stooped down to his waist to get his clothes from the ground. He pulled his pants to his legs but offered his shirt to me instead.

"What am I gonna do with that?"

He ignored my question. "I'll go ahead. Make sure you follow in five minutes or I'm leaving without you."

"But what are you-" The question was barely out of my lips when he sprinted away until he was completely out of sight. "-gonna wear?"

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

_Have you ever been slapped before?_

_No._ I'm not talking about the slap on the thigh when you're happy or you're having fun or when you find something really hilarious. Nor am I talking about the harmless slap on the arm you give to your annoying little brother. And I'm most certainly not talking about the slap on the butt you give or receive whenever you're…_umm…_

Well moving on…

I'm talking about the humiliating contact of hand to skin; of the stinging sensation that brings tears to your eyes and renders you completely speechless. It's the slap that stops you in your tracks and leaves you breathless. It freezes time and isolates you from everything else.

Yeah…now you get it?

Good._ Because I just got it!_

I inhaled sharply as tears stung my eyes painfully. My mom continued to stare at me with anger and impatience in her eyes. Her hand was poised to the side of her thigh. My left cheek felt like someone just pressed a hot iron on it.

Beside me Kenshin looked on; mouth slightly open and eyes wide with shock.

Yeah you've guessed it_- my mom just slapped me right on the face!_ Right before I inserted my key to the door. Right after she angrily slammed it open before I can jingle the lock. Right after she briefly looked at our wet hair and Kenshin's shirt that I was wearing…

…And she slapped me-_ right in front of Kenshin!_

"Get inside and go to your room," my mom grounded every word. After that, she turned to my half-naked companion and dismissed him with a curt nod. "You know the way out of our yard Mr. Himura. Go home."

She herded me inside and slammed the door on his face before he could put a word in between. She then turned on her heel to face me. "My God!" my mom held her forehead as if in pain. "No note or anything whatsoever! You left the house without a word or at least some sort of information to your whereabouts. I've been home since five-thirty!"

Her eyes were flashing when she grabbed my arm. "Do you know that you've been missing for almost six hours now! Jesus! I was just about to call the police!"

I remained silent, too shocked for words. My mom's hand flew to her hips as she shot me a glare. "Well? Aren't you going to explain yourself?"

_It was only then that I finally cracked._ My hands turned into fists at my sides and I shouted back, "Explain what? Does it even matter anymore when you have obviously already made your conclusions!"

I turned away from her and bolted towards my room. I locked the door behind me, amidst her shouts, before I sank to the floor. One by one, tears started to flow down my cheeks and I did nothing to stop them or wipe them away.

I covered my lips with the back of my palm and choked back a ragged sob.

_Words…_

No words…could ever make this moment right.

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

The phone rang a little after midnight.

I stared at the ceiling, left arm propped over my forehead as I ignored the insistent ringing. My eyes darted across the blank, beige walls listlessly in boredom. In the background, the phone continued to ring.

It finally stopped after the sixth (or seventh, I'm not sure) ring. When my room was enveloped in silence once more, it was only then that I let my eyes close shut. But even with that, sleep still eluded me.

Twenty minutes must have passed when something disturbed my silent contemplation. I opened one eye and looked towards the source of the sound._ Perfect timing!_ Because right at that moment I saw something that looked like small pieces of gravel being thrown against the closed glass pane of my bedroom window- thus creating the noise. Brows raised, I kicked my blanket off of my body and approached the window.

My mouth gaped open when I saw the wise guy who's throwing the hard dirt on my windowpane. Standing right in the middle of our front yard was_ Kenshin Himura!_

His hand was poised to throw another batch of dirt in my direction, but was stopped when he saw me. He dusted the filth off his hands before he offered a smile in my direction. "Hey!"

"W-what-?" I started to sputter but my tongue tripped all over my teeth in anxiety. I composed myself for a second then asked him in a low, urgent voice, "What are you doing here?"

Kenshin shrugged. "I can't sleep," he whispered back_- like that answer made perfect sense!_ "I tried calling you a few minutes ago but you won't answer your phone."

I made a face. "Didn't it ever occur to you that I may already be sleeping?" I hissed back.

"No," he answered arrogantly without a trace of remorse.

"Well I am, or was about to! SO goodnight!"

I closed my drapes and completely blocked him from view. I slumped to the chair facing my bureau and covered my face with my right hand. I'm feeling very tired after dealing with all this misery in just one day.

A few minutes later, my phone started to ring again. I picked it up automatically and wasn't surprised when it was Kenshin on the other line.

"Look Himura what do you want?" I groaned in an exhausted voice.

"I just wanted to check if you're alright. I mean, after what your mom did and all…"

I sighed and the memory came flooding back in an instant. "I'm fine," I replied in a terse and impatient tone. "So now that you're curiosity is satisfied, is there anything else you want to say before I hang up?"

There was silence on the other line for a while. Finally he spoke, "Yeah, actually we forgot to say goodnight to each other."

"Huh?" I uttered in confusion. "What are you talking about!"

He coughed uneasily because of this, "It's practice Kamiya! We should really start doing intimate little acts like this even in private so we'd be more comfortable and feel less weird doing it in front of people!"

_Was it just me or did he sound really aggravated and defensive all at the same time back there?_

"Fine, fine! Don't burst an artery," I grumbled. "Well goodnight," I uttered halfheartedly in a bored voice.

"Goodnight…and-" his voice was soft.

I dropped the receiver back to the cradle after that. I did it so quickly that I totally missed his last words.

"Goodnight…and...I forgot to say I love you too."

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

**A/N: Whee another update! I'm so inspired with this story of mine! I know I said last time that I'd reveal something important about Aoshi Shinomori in this chapter but I decided to cut it instead because the chapter will become too freaking long if I force to insert that part. So watch out for the next chapter for the revelation, 'kay?**

**_So about this chapter… There are just some things I'd want to give note:_**

_1.) No, Kenshin is not falling for our heroine here. That would make it TOO soon, don't you think?_

_2.) So why is he super nice to her in this installment? I already hinted something here…and it will be followed by more hints in the next few chapters._

_3.) Have you guys noticed that Kaoru has grown bolder here? I had her cowering in fear for our rurouni in the first four chapters, if I remember correctly. Her newfound bravado is probably because of the lesson she learned from Aoshi. That, and the fact that Kenshin was very nice to her in this chapter emboldened her more. Hope that explains some character indiscrepancies. I just don't want anyone telling me that Kaoru was completely OOC here compared to the initial character design of my AU story._

_4.) No, Kaoru's mom is not over-reacting here.** MY** mom would have done the same thing, trust me._

_5.) KITSUNE55 I'M SO SORRY! I just can't start with **LbyM** when my mind is preoccupied and working overtime with this story… (TT) I really, really, really hate disappointing fans… Gomen!_

_6.) KAORU4 thanks for pointing out the 'number of words' mistake. You see, when I was editing the story, I decided to use 'all right' instead of 'alright'. When I did that change, I forgot that the number I stated was still 'three'- thus the mistake. I corrected that now. Thank you so much for pointing that out. _

**I guess that's all for now. I'm afraid I can't answer reviewer queries for now because my wrist is beginning to ache really bad due to all that typing. But if you have a question that needs an urgent answer then please IM me in my yahoo account (lovingmydaniel) or my msn/hotmail username (ladysaotome). So with that said, ciao for now my friends!**


	7. interesting chemical reactions

The morning after that incident with my mom was the most uncomfortable moment I've ever had with her in our entire life. We hardly talked in front of the breakfast table. She kept a hard, stubborn expression and so did I. And unlike before, she left for work without offering to give me a ride to school.

My mom and I'd never had a tiff as serious as this one before. Sure, we'd had a few disagreements before;_ arguments between typical teenage daughter and over-worried mother. _And almost always, I was the first one to express apology or contrition.

But that is not gonna happen today.

When I apologize to my mom, I usually (though not every time, but still) REALLY mean it._ And when I mean it_- then that means that I'm not going to do the offence again unless it's a matter of life and death! I pride myself with that virtue.

But since I have every intention of still going out with Himura after this incident, then I know I cannot tell her I'm sorry and at the same time give her my word that I won't see him ever again. I'd be breaking my own code if that happens. And personal codes are not like empty promises or a new year's resolution that you make just for the fun of it._ That's not the way my life works, you know! _

So for the first time in all the years that I've been alive, my mother walked out of the front door without resolving things with me._ And the feeling is not pleasant._

I sighed wearily as I locked our front door on my way out. I returned the house key under the welcome mat and gloomily walked out of our front yard. I winced slightly when I saw the familiar red mustang parked in front of our house. I saw Kenshin checking out his teeth on the rear-view mirror. I rolled my eyes and stepped forward to the passenger side. He sensed my presence and looked up. He reached over and unlocked the door and I promptly got inside.

"Hey," Kenshin greeted -somewhat hesitantly- after I buckled myself in. I only cast him a brief glance and nodded conservatively, paired with a tight smile, "Hey."

Himura tapped the steering wheel idly for a few seconds, like he was waiting for something else for me to say or do. I on the other hand kept my gaze as far away from him as possible. After our small chat last night,_ preceded by that _**VERY**_ unusual moment at the beach_, things were just a little too awkward for us to strike a friendly conversation with each other right now. I hugged my backpack closer to my chest and sighed.

When the car still didn't move, I struggled to raise my voice so he could hear me when I asked him, "A-are we waiting for something or someone Himura?"

"Huh?" he seemed to have been disturbed from a deep thought. He shook his head -a little too eagerly- and replied, "No, no. I'm not waiting for anything or anyone."

And with those words, he turned the ignition key and revved the car back to life. Moments after, we were on our way.

I watched the passing scenery with dull, listless eyes. I propped up my right elbow and cradled my chin on my right fist. So far, this day was starting the way all my mornings usually start- **COMPLETELY** sucky! And I knew from experience that, contrary to popular belief, things _CAN_ and _WILL_ get worse!

This belief was reaffirmed the moment I saw Seirin High from a distance._ Aaahhh…the pinnacle of my misery, cleverly disguised as a 'learning' institute._ Kenshin parked his car near the entrance. I was about to get out when he restrained me gently by the arm. I almost jumped in surprise with the contact. My face quickly flushed red at the memory of what had happened last night with that mere casual contact.

The sheer wickedness of his grins; the way he dove towards the churning sea- carrying me along; his hand pressed against mine…_ They all happened last night._

I know that it's a little late for my embarrassment. It's just that last night, everything happened so fast that I was given no time to contemplate over one thing before I was tossed again into another emotional rollercoaster, one after the other. And now I'm feeling the uncomfortable after-effects of my brief moment of shared intimacy with my arch-nemesis.

"W-what?" my tone was just a bit too sharp and panicky even to my own ears._ Defensive reflex, I guess you could call it._ I cleared my throat, "What is it?"

He looked at me queerly at first. "Um, I'm going to open the door for you," he explained slowly, like he was letting me absorb his words carefully.

"O-oh," I was saved from facing him after that because he was already out of the door and walking towards my side of the car. He opened the door and bowed at the waist with a gallant wave of his hands. "Mademoiselle?" he intoned with a playful grin.

I cast him a weird look as I got out of the car. "What's with you?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Kenshin winked, but said nothing.

My head was so full of questions about his nutty attitude that I didn't realize it when he caught my right hand in his and entwined it with his fingers. We were at the front entrance by the time I realized that we were holding hands. I flushed scarlet from my neck up to the very roots of my hair at the idea. I would have tried to tug free, but already students around us were giving us curious looks. And it wouldn't do our mission good for me to be seen struggling in his grasp, now would it?

So amidst my fierce blushing and uneasy fidgeting, I swallowed it all in and did my best to keep my eyes averted to the ground. I adjusted the strap of my backpack with my free hand every now and then, just to keep my fingers busy. Because I knew that if I let my hand be idle, I'd end up wrinkling my pristine, pencil-cut white skirt in obvious anxiety.

We stopped by my locker first to get my stuff. But as I neared my locker, I stopped short in my tracks so abruptly that my companion almost knocked me over from behind. There was a strange, faint scent coming from it that I couldn't put a finger on. I moved to open the door after I got through the combination, but Kenshin pushed me gently aside and pulled it open himself- being sure to keep his body out of the way. I wondered about his unusual actions but was interrupted from my deep thought when something slimy and gross rolled out of my locker as soon as he opened it. The stench was overpowering and the mass of red flesh was too disgusting for words. I'm not sure what animal carcass it was. But I sure was not getting anywhere near that thing just to know what it was!

I stepped back with my hands over my mouth to prevent a scream. My eyes watered at the smell. "Oh my…"

Kenshin was shaking his head; his hand pinching his nose to block out the smell. "Did you really think she'd stop with that water balloon prank yesterday" it was not really a question but a statement.

I instantly understood who he was referring to and I exhaled loudly in frustration._ Oh give me a break!_

Kenshin steered me away and called the custodian nearby to help him clean it up. Mr. Yani gave a small bow to Kenshin, which he returned just as genially. And Himura was true to his word that Mr. Yani would just be there to help him- because he was the one who cleaned out the insides of my locker while our dear old janitor took care of the meat stinking up the floor.

I was surprised to see Kenshin cleaning my locker for me. I tried to stop him. "You don't need to do this," I whispered to him. "I can do it later."

"Stop whispering and that's _'honey'_ to you from now on," he grinned audaciously without looking at me. He continued to take my blood-smeared books out without hesitation. "And how would it look if people saw me just standing in a corner while my beloved _'girlfriend'_ cleans up all this mess by herself?" he asked me in a sarcastic voice.

With that said, I had no choice but to step back and watch him do all the work. In the meantime, my mind and my heart were hopelessly muddled with indecision about his words._ 'Honey from now on…'_ his words echoed in my mind.

I searched myself for disgust, repulsion, abhorrence or anything of the sort at the prospect. And much to my surprise -_as I watched him intently scrubbing my locker clean with his own handkerchief while he whistled softly to amuse himself_- I realized that if he continued to be this agreeable and sweet then…

_-Then I'll have absolutely no problem calling him by that endearment._

"Mr. Himura you shouldn't," Mr. Yani tried to stop him when he saw the boy's pants and shirt getting dirty. But Kenshin good-naturedly waved the aged man away with an indulgent grin. "It's okay Yani-san," he told the old man with the unruly moustache and balding head kindly, "This is my girlfriend's locker. Believe me it's no bother at all."

In someone else's ears, his words spoke volumes of his feelings for me. He even turned to look at me and gave me a meaningful grin and I almost took a step back in surprise._ He's such a good actor!_ I looked around and saw that the three of us were not alone anymore. Other students were already gathering around us to see where the stench was coming from and why Mr. Popularity himself -Kenshin Himura- was smeared with blood and cleaning someone else's locker. And I have to say, Kenshin gained the desired effect of his words if the students' expressions were any judge of that. They all turned their astounded, confused, amazed eyes toward me. The moment I felt them all staring at me, I tried my best to hide the fierce color on my face._ It was a terribly uncomfortable position to be in._

"But if it's not much of a bother, may I borrow a cart or a wheelbarrow or something so I can take this mess away?" Kenshin returned his attention to the timid caretaker. And the old man, dazzled by the kindness and politeness of the golden boy of Seirin High, was only too glad to oblige.

I was not surprised at all by Kenshin's polite and gentle demeanour to someone as lowly as Mr. Yani (no I didn't mean it to sound the way it sounded). The truth is, Kenshin can really be nice and sweet and courteous if he really wants to go through the trouble of doing so. It's just that he spends more time showing me his ugly side than the good side I'm seeing right now that's why my opinion of him is biased.

Of course, now and then he shows his naughty and mean-tempered side to other people aside from me. But people easily forget- especially when he flashes that charming, 'good boy' smile of his. Not surprisingly though, that same smile that he uses to charm his way to the hearts of all the people in Seirin High has adverse effects on me. I know the boy only too well to be fooled by his angelic allure.

So technically, the boy has everyone in the palm of his perfect hands. He's good in switching personalities to suit his needs or situation._ Quite clever really. _Of course many would deny my claims or the fact that Himura has a bad side at all._ But hey, those who say that are not the ones who suffered fourteen years of humiliation caused by him, you know!_

After just a few minutes the kindly old janitor was pushing a wheelbarrow towards us. Mr. Yani helped him load my blood-soaked stuff on top. And when that task was finished, Kenshin thanked the custodian and began to push the wheelbarrow to the left end of the building.

"Where are you taking that?" I asked as I jogged alongside him. "The trash bin is outside."

"Who said anything about throwing this out?"

I was silenced by this._ What is he cooking up under all that fiery-red hair of his?_

Fortunately, I needn't have waited for my answer for too long because from a distance I saw another row of lockers. And standing in front of one of those lockers was none other than Megumi Takani taking out some books…!

_I have a nagging feeling about this…_

As we neared, Megumi caught a whiff of my blood-stained books and turned her head in every direction in search of the source. She stopped short when she saw us walking towards her. And when her eyes shifted down to the wheelbarrow, she paled visibly and her lips quivered slightly when she sensed what was going to happen.

"K-Kenshin!" the vixen greeted nervously as she fought to maintain a façade of nonchalance. But with the stench of my stuff polluting the air, believe me that was a little hard to do.

"Hey there Takani-san," he addressed her cordially. And even though he was smiling the expression on Kenshin's eyes could practically congeal blood.

The green-eyed beauty in front of us placed one hand on her hip and attempted a sexy pose to keep up the pretence of nonchalance. "And to what do I owe the honor of seeing you so early in the morning?" her eyes twitched in an effort to dispel a gag coming up her throat because of the stench.

"Oh nothing much," his grin remained the same- deadly. "My girlfriend and I just wanted to return something you left in her locker this morning."

Megumi was tight-lipped. She seemed to be debating whether she should deny the allegation or not. But in the end she chose not to dig her grave any deeper. "Oh?" was all she could mutter as a reply.

And with that, Kenshin tipped the wheelbarrow over and spilled the mess all over the floor. "Takani-san," he started with a frosty smile. "If you don't mind, I was hoping that Kaoru could use your locker for the time being while hers get fixed up and cleaned. Will that be okay?"

Megumi's mouth was hanging open in shock over the ghastly sight at her feet. And her eyes bulged out of their sockets upon hearing Himura's _'suggestion'_ and the subtle message behind that statement. "But, but," she sputtered helplessly. "This is not my doing!" she pleaded to him, referring to the bloody flesh on the floor.

The look he shot her could have pierced stone. He was mentally sending the message for her not to insult his intelligence. Clearly caught in her prank, Megumi swallowed visibly and nervously rubbed her throat as casually as she could. "But…" her voice, no matter how cool she tried to project it, was slowly cracking. "But where will I put my own stuff?"

_Sad._ She didn't protest that he had no right to cast her out of her own locker. She was just meekly imploring with him that she had no other place to put her books.

_That just shows you how much power the boy has in this school._

He simply arched an eyebrow at her. And with his voice dripping with sarcasm, he asked her: "What stuff?"

Megumi's mouth clamped shut and she took a step back when she realized what he meant. Her eyes glazed over a bit in shock and I couldn't help the pity that slowly crept up my heart upon seeing her troubled expression.

I knew too what Kenshin was subtly implying and that's why I instantly felt sorry for Megumi. She was going to lose all her books, notes and anything else that was classified as 'hers'…_and it will be mine._ And with Kenshin's look, it was obvious that he wouldn't accept 'no' for an answer.

To affirm his statement, he motioned for me to take a look inside the locker and he made a sweeping motion with his hands to indicate the piles of assorted objects (mostly make-up), CD's and books like a salesman showing off his wares. "Will it do, hon?"

I was finally jolted from the half-daze I was in with that endearment. I looked up at his lavender eyes and spoke softly in a voice that only the two of us could hear, "Megumi doesn't have to give me her stuff…"

_I know I shouldn't pity the good-for-nothing bitch_. I mean, she did insult me (rather cruelly) before and played that stupid water balloon prank on me and left me that bloody offering in my locker this morning-_ but I couldn't help it!_ It's like feeling sorry for that mouse in the cartoon before the grumpy old man pounds the little critter to a messy pulp with his mallet. You know rats are a pest and they multiply like Elvis impersonators in Las Vegas… And yet you'll still feel a twinge of guilt to see that whisker-filled snout trapped in an old-fashioned mouse trap or something equally painful.

_Well if you know that feeling, then you can pretty much figure out what I was feeling for Megumi…_

Kenshin wrinkled his brow at me. "Oh don't worry about it darling," he drawled. (_I flinched slightly at this_) "Megumi is happy to let you have her books- seeing that your own are too messed up for use."

On cue, he cocked his head slightly to the left to look at her. "Isn't that right Takani-san?"

I watched the conflicting emotions playing over Megumi's face, with me feeling terribly sorry for her. With Kenshin's tone there was no room for her to answer otherwise. So she had no other choice but to say:

"Yes Kaoru… I'll be happy to lend you my stuff," her voice was hard,_ forced_. But even with the obvious rebellion in her expression, Kenshin was satisfied nonetheless. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed her the way a king would dismiss his jester when he's tired of him. Later on, I found out after some weeks had passed that Megumi never forgot that incident and she never forgave me for it._ Why she came to the conclusion that it was **ALL** my fault, go figure._

Anyway back to the present, I watched Megumi Takani, one of the proudest and most popular girls in Seirin High walk away in utter defeat and shame. When she was out of sight and the people who were watching us finally dispersed, I turned to the arrogant redhead next to me and muttered, "Was that really necessary?"

He shrugged and didn't bother to look back at me, "No if she's planning to bitch you around again." He rubbed the back of his neck with a casual expression on his face; like he didn't just banish a girl from her locker for the whole semester and humiliated her in front of all those people that had just left. "Someone has to tell her the message clearly, no matter how harsh, that she can't mess with _my_ girl."

I bit my tongue to prevent myself from gasping out loud at his statement._ I should really start getting used to those possessive words that claim me as his._ But I really just can't help it…_it's just too strange and too soon!_ Almost four days ago he was teasing me and shoving me against walls and bullying me around. And all of a sudden, I'm being labelled as HIS girl!_ Talk about a major emotional hurricane…_

'_My girl…'_ the words echoed listlessly in my head. On this note, he finally turned his eyes down to me with a playful grin etched on his lips. "Besides, don't you dare try to pretend that you weren't happy to see Megumi put in her place," he challenged.

I glared at him and let out a sigh after a few seconds. The truth is…_I was happy_; so I didn't deny it. But even though he'd done this all for me and I was very grateful for it… The fact that I'd been bullied by him for so many years didn't let me have the pleasure of watching him intimidate others now.

I didn't realize that my head was lowered in deep thought until Kenshin cupped my chin between his fingers and raised my eyes to his. I cast him a puzzled look.

For a while he just stared at me so I stared back. But like I said before, no one can ever match the intensity of Kenshin's eyes (not even Aoshi remember?) so I was forced to avert my eyes to the left. He still didn't let go of my jaw and I was starting to get terribly uncomfortable under his hard scrutiny.

"What do you th-"

"You are SO in love with me, Kamiya," he declared triumphantly out of the blue.

"-ink you're doing?** WHAT!**"

He finally let me go and sprinted away from me before I could move to hit him with the side of my backpack. He was laughing so hard that he almost stumbled over a trash can in his path as he tried to escape me. My face was burning so hotly, which just made my embarrassment worse! "Kenshin come back here!" I shouted in indignation.

Kenshin was running backwards so that he could look at me while he jogged away. He looked so comical that I sincerely wished this was a cartoon cliché and that a banana peel would mysteriously appear before him so he'd trip over his own feet. He kissed the air and cheekily blew it in my direction, "And I love you too my daaarrrrllliiiinnngggg…" he practically hollered that last one out. I grimaced._ What is he doing? Why is he saying those things and playing around with me and being so totally immature?_

"Just admit that you're in love with me!"

Good one._ Do you want me to fall on my face too and worship the floor you walk on while I'm at it?_

"You love me!"

My face was the color of every shade of crimson by now as students watched me chase Himura down the hallway while he was yelling immaturities back at me._ What the heck is he doing?_ We were catching way too much attention and quite possibly even detention with this juvenile act!

"Will you stop running already?" I shouted back at him breathlessly.

_Honestly I didn't expect him to follow what I said._ This is the arrogant piece of chicken shit Kenshin Himura himself, after all! That's why when he suddenly stopped in his tracks my mind was not able to register this information immediately. And if my mind hadn't quite caught on yet, then that means –yes- my feet kept on running until it was too late. I couldn't stop myself, and before I knew it I was slamming head on towards Kenshin's chest.

The scream that I was about to emit was muffled inside my throat when my lips hit Kenshin's shoulder blade. And before I could react, his arms were around me in a tight hug and the hairs on my neck stood on end when I felt his jaw brush the side of my temple lightly.

"Oh, honey," his voice was unusually loud as he said this. "I knew you'd fall for me sooner or later."

"What the heck are you trying to pu-" I was about to shout at him when I felt his hand press the back of my head on his neck down forcefully. My eyes were wide with shock and panic when his eyes landed on me. There was an unusual grin on his lips that completely unnerved me._ What's going on?_ My mind screamed the question but it was only met by its own echo inside my head. Kenshin must have sensed my wordless inquiry because he turned me around, without breaking his grip on my waist and back of my head, towards the direction that he was previously facing.

My hands turned cold when I saw the students, hundreds of them, all looking at us! They were all there, watching us hold each other in such an intimate way in public._ And instantly I realized what Kenshin was trying to do…_

"I thought-" he whispered in my ear (and obviously to the eyes of our viewers it looks like he was mumbling sweet nothings to me), "-that after the way I fumbled yesterday with introducing you…this was the best and easiest way for all of them to correct their perception and to know who you're supposed to be in my life."

He pulled away and looked down at me with a lopsided smile etched on his lips. He parted my bangs to the other side of my forehead in a flagrant show of affection. After a while, he stepped back and –hold your breath because this SO not possible- gave me an admiring look; like he was looking at a goddess or something.

'_Will the real Kenshin Himura please stand up?'_ a song began to hum in my head due to the bizarre situation._ 'I repeat, will the real Kenshin Himura please stand up.'_

Still numb with surprise, I let him drag me away from the inquisitive eyes that were burning holes in my back and down towards the direction of our first period classroom. His hand, just like earlier, was entwined with my fingers and he swung it back and forth while whistling jovially.

"Neat huh?" he inquired with a laugh. "Sometimes I surprise even myself with my genius!"

I coughed and fidgeted uncomfortably. "Wouldn't it be easier just TELLING them that I'm your girlfriend?"

"You're not only a whiner, Kamiya," he retorted with a roll of his eyes. "You are also so boring! Honestly what would your life be without me? No wonder you have no friends."

_That stung._ Heat shot up in my head and anger surged in my veins. "My life would have been much less stressful without your presence, thank you very much for asking!" I tried to tug my hand free from his grasp. He raised an eyebrow at my actions and sighed in exasperation, "And what are you trying to do now?" he asked.

"And you were talking about being a genius just seconds ago?" I replied flippantly. "There's no one watching us now anyway. So let go of my hand already."

"Fine!" Kenshin shot back irritably and let go of my hand in disgust; like he'd just touched something revolting or disgusting. He started to walk briskly ahead of me, muttering to himself. I quickly matched his pace and told him pointedly, "If I'm a whiner then you're certainly being a brat now!"

"Me?" he scoffed in incredulity. "You did NOT just call me a brat, Kamiya!"

I clapped my hands on my cheeks in mock disbelief as I mimicked him dramatically, "'You did not just call me a braaattt, Kamiya.'"

His left eye twitched. "Has it ever occurred to you that you should count yourself lucky that you breathe the air that I breathe in?" he countered, looking childish and extremely put off.

"Has it ever occurred to you that toilet bowl water is clean and you can drink from it?" I responded with a newfound sassiness that suddenly took me over._ Don't ask me where I got it, it just came!_ And my tongue was too far gone to be stopped!

Kenshin stopped walking and turned to me, looking really irritated now. "Is that the thanks I get for putting up with you, avenging you from Megumi, and making sure that this stupid charade will succeed?" he scowled.

"What do you want me to do? Offer a blood sacrifice in your name and worship you to show how grateful I am?"

His eyes narrowed into slits at this.

"Himura, do me a favour-" I continued; not quite realizing the deadly look on his face, "-and let out some of that air in your head, you know, before you float away," I angled my chin arrogantly up at him.

Apparently, that was the last straw. Before I knew it, I was shoved with my back against the wall, sandwiched between the whitewashed bricks of our school and Kenshin's body. His hands were planted firmly on either side of my head and he sure looked mad as hell. And just as instantly that my arrogance had taken over me, it was just as quickly replaced by cold, familiar fear of the man in front of me. Just because I stupidly, for a few seconds back there, forgot about the psychological torture he was capable of.

"You're shivering,_ darling_," he drawled. "Where is that impudent tongue of yours now?"

"Himura…" my voice came out choked with fear.

"What?"

"We're going to be late to Professor Amakusa's class."

He raised an eyebrow, "So?"

"Ssss…s-so…c-could you let m-me go now?"

"Mm-hmm," he shook his head. "You didn't say the magic words, my love."

My lips paled and trembled._ Oh God not this again!_ I'd thought I was rid off of his bullying for the time being because of our agreement._ I'm going to be sick!_

"Himura…" my voice was quivering and tears were beginning to well up in my eyes, "Please…"

"The magic words, darling. Or we can stay here all day if you want." His face neared mine and he was smiling, but it was bone-chillingly sardonic. "Say it!"

A ragged sob tore at my lips instead. "Please don't-"

"Shut up!"

"Himura-"

"I said shut up! I don't want to hear anything else but those words!"

At this I finally burst into tears. And in a torn voice I told him the words that I've repeated and hated my whole entire life._ The words that always affirmed my weakness to him and his superiority over me._ "Please forgive me Himura-san! I promise never to do it again! Please oh please grace me with your pardon even though I don't deserve it! I am nothing but a fool. A FOOL!"

Tears, endless and abundant, were streaming down my cheeks now. I felt Kenshin's arm lower back down to his sides. He watched me quietly as I let all the pain and anger out from me;_ each teardrop a testament to my hatred for him._

Maybe my last words were right- I AM A FOOL!_ A fool to think that Kenshin's kindness had meant anything!_ Sure he defended me from Megumi and was affectionate to me in front of all those people.** But it was all just for show!** And last night, the only reason why he was so nice to me at the beach was because he probably felt guilty over that Aoshi choice thing.

But in the end, he was still the same monster I've known since I was a child._ A cruel, heartless, unfeeling monster!_

When my sobs finally began to recede and die down, I felt his hand on top of my left shoulder as he knelt beside me so he could level his eyes with mine. There was no trace of the sadistic psycho that took over him a few minutes ago in his violet orbs now. In fact, there was even a trace of gentleness in his facial expression now that sharply contrasted with the derisive look he'd worn earlier.

"Come on," he spoke to me softly. "Let's get to class."

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

She'd done it again…

'_Dammit!'_ Kenshin cursed liberally inside his mind as he watched Kaoru slump to the floor, sobbing pitifully._ When is she ever going to learn to stand up for herself!_

It was his fault_- he didn't mean to lose control of his temper._ It was just that she was being so _uncharacteristically_ arrogant and it was entirely new to him, that's why he'd reacted so badly. Sure he'd meant to tease her into submission but he hadn't expected her to burst into tears._ Honestly he didn't!_

And once more_, she'd failed him…_

He clenched his hands into fists._ Why Kaoru? _He wanted to scream at her and at the same time soothe her._ Why are you so weak? Why don't you ever fight back?_

_Why doesn't she say **no**, even just once!_

Did she honestly think that he'd hurt her if she didn't follow?_ That's a laugh._ In all the years that he'd bossed her around and teased her, she'd –**never**- been in any danger of being physically attacked by him._ That's stupid!_ He was not that kind of guy. He could be cruel psychologically though, whether with a man or a woman, he had to admit. But he'd much sooner face a pack of rabid dogs than lift a hand against a girl.

_And Kaoru…_ He would never,** ever**, physically hurt her._ Kenshin would die first before that ever happened!_

'**But isn't the emotional pain you've inflicted on her all this time equal to the physical pain of dying?'** The annoying voice in his head began to hiss inside his mind to torture him once more.

Kenshin gritted his teeth and forced the voice to the back of his mind. When he was sure no more recriminations were forthcoming, he composed himself and knelt down to face her as he told her that they should go to class now before they ran late.

Kaoru's face was broken. Her eyes were red and puffy from all that crying and her lips were still trembling. Kenshin's heart froze inside when he saw the pain etched on her pale features._ 'I did this to her?' _he asked himself in disbelief.

He forced himself to ignore the heavy feeling inside of him as he assisted her to her feet. Guilt was always a part of him whenever he bullied Kaoru around. It just varied in intensity. Sometimes he could ignore that icy feeling in his gut and forget about it. But there were times (which were surprisingly quite seldom) when his conscience would scream and shout in his head so hard and so loud that it was unbearable. And right now, he was feeling the latter effect.

_He could say sorry._ It wasn't a hard thing to do; he'd done it yesterday after all. And he'd done it because last night his conscience, much like today, had berated him past the tolerable point. Seeing Kaoru's silent pain as she told Aoshi the galling lie that she loved Kenshin was worth more than a thousand tears he'd seen before on her face.

_But he was not going to do it!_ Kenshin couldn't apologize to her because that would spoil everything that he'd done for the past fourteen or so years!_ He wanted to toughen her up_; make her fight back. So how would that happen if she started to think and expect that he'd always apologize for what he did afterwards?_ No he couldn't do it!_ For her own good, he was not going to do it!

And there was also the possibility that she wouldn't believe him anyway. Worse, she might think that apologizing to her was part of the torture. No he couldn't risk that;_ she already hated him too much_. It was best not to push her any further…

The stillness between them as they walked was so thick that it was almost suffocating; he walked ahead with her trailing behind. Occasionally he'd hear a muffled sob or a sniffle and it took all the willpower he had in himself not to turn around, hold her hands (like what he'd done last night), comfort her and tell her that he didn't mean to make her cry…didn't mean to cause her this much pain.

When they neared the classroom, Kenshin paused to wait for her before he entered. Kaoru understood what he intended to do so she let him hold her hand in his once more (though hesitantly at first) without a word of protest. Together, they pushed the door open and breathlessly faced the beginning of a very unpredictable day.

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

"So I'll see you later at the water fountain before lunch, okay? So we can eat together, agreed?"

I barely realized that Kenshin was talking to me because I was too busy imagining his head severed from his body with his tongue dangling out and dripping with blood, to reply. He had to snap his fingers repeatedly in my face to rouse me from my lovely daydream. "Hey earth to Kaoru!" he called, though his voice sounded so distant to me. "Are you even listening to me?"

It was the end of two successive periods of having him as my classmate. Students were pouring out from the room and I'd been about to join them when Himura grabbed my hand and told me to stay. Many of our classmates looked at us curiously as they walked out and probably would have stayed to eavesdrop if not for Kenshin's death glare.

I waved his hand away from my face. "Yeah, yeah," I muttered. "Water fountain, lunch together, you're asking me if I agree- yep I think I pretty much got it. So can I go now?"

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" his brows were furrowed.

_Did he have to ask?_ I sighed wearily and answered instead, "I'm going to be late, Himura."

"Honey," he corrected.

"It's just the two of us," I pointed out.

He sighed wearily and finally just let it pass. "I'll walk you to your next class."

"You don't have to."

"Yes, actually. In fact if I may say so, I must!" he insisted, left eyebrow cocked.

"Why?" I exhaled agitatedly. "I don't remember you accompanying Tomoe to her classes back when you two were dating!"

Kenshin rolled his eyes at me, obviously tired of my constant whining (as he would call it). "Baka! Idiot!" he hissed in my ear so that anyone who might be passing by near the classroom wouldn't hear him insult his_ 'girlfriend'_. "New relationships are like marriage in the first few days! Naturally, the guy and the girl are extra sweet to each other in their first week or so of being together! Sheesh… Are you_ that_ inexperienced in this whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing that I have to tell you everything?"

I blushed at my naivety and at his heartless insult so I looked away angrily in embarrassment.

"Any more bright ideas you have inside that empty head of yours?" he asked me condescendingly with a smirk. I pursed my lips as I looked at him from the corner of my eyes before I gave a brief shake of my head. Satisfied, Kenshin took my hand and half-dragged me out of the room.

"Your next class is at the other end of the building," I spoke up after a few seconds of walking in relative silence.

"So?"

"So…you're going to be late."

"And that concerns you?" his lips quirked at the corner to form a smug grin. "Aaawww, you're finally acting like a real girlfriend," he cooed sarcastically.

I narrowed my eyes at him and was momentarily tempted to step down -hard- on his shoes. But I stopped myself just in time before I got a repeat performance of what had happened earlier._ I don't want him slamming me at walls again!_

Kenshin glanced at me to see my reaction. He wrinkled his nose when he saw my expression. "Stop looking down at your shoes," he whispered irritably. "You look like a loser!"

"And that concerns you?" I repeated his words with mock-disbelief before I could stop myself. "Aaaawww, you're finally acting like your real self, Himura! Figures you wouldn't want to walk beside a loser!"

He gave a start after this. "Now listen here, I'm just saying that you really should-"

"We're here!" I happily interrupted him when I saw the big double doors of the Chem. lab just a few steps ahead. I broke away from his grip and eagerly approached the doors. Without giving him a second look, I left him standing there, eyes narrowed and lips curled in a frown. Thankfully he didn't follow to insult me some more or to show one of his 'love-struck' affections._ Bleehhh!_

_Good riddance!_

I always thought that it would be a cold day in hell before I'd ever look forward to Chemistry class. But then again, I'd also said to myself that pigs would fly in the air and go to Neverland before I'd ever get myself involved with my arch-nemesis in any other way than pure enmity.

I took my seat and brought out my binder, anxious to review our last lesson since I wasn't able to study last night for obvious reasons. I flipped to the page of my chemistry notes and groaned inwardly when I was reminded that today would be the start of our class project._ Ugh!_

I nervously tapped the end of my number two pencil on the paper, my face scrunched up in thought._ I'm bad at chem.!_ No, scratch that._ I'm TERRIBLE at chem.!_ I'm a diligent student, (proven by my satisfactory grade point average) but Chemistry, much like Math, was something that many students would go to so much length and trouble just to avoid, to neglect or to forget or maybe even all of the above._ And I'm one of them!_

I sighed and clicked my tongue against my teeth in frustration._ So what Chemistry disaster was I going to concoct this year? _I had to take note that when I graduated, to be sure to take a university course that did not have Chemistry in its general education curriculum._ 'If I graduate'_, I thought gloomily._ No self-respecting Ivy-league university will accept me now with my dismal chem. grade!_

I guess I was so busy fretting over my project to realize that the lab door opened and a fearful silence followed. But that peace was quickly replaced by awed murmurings when the Chemistry teacher walked in, while he was followed by a tall student at his heels.

I didn't bother to look up. Professor Yuukyuzan Anji was a big man with a bald head and a grim expression. But underneath such an intimidating stature, paired with such an intimidating subject, was a hard heart made of gold. He was sensible, but at the same time stern. He could be a very difficult man to understand or appreciate so you either graduated from his class hating him or the complete opposite._ Guess which side I'm on._

I decided after a few months of spending Chemistry with him at the start of my senior year that my feelings bordered on the latter of the two. Mr. Anji was a respectable and honourable man,_ that_ I was very sure of

I know that's quite an unusual way to describe your teacher and that it doesn't sound like much… But in these times where qualities like that rarely take form in a person because of poverty and the slump in the economy- then it's no small feat indeed. He could have accepted money from the rich, dumb students (or something more physically 'rewarding' from his alluring female pupils) in exchange for passing them, coz I sure have heard many teachers in our school doing that so they can get by…_but not Prof. Anji!_ Gossip spreads faster in Seirin High than hives on a hot, sticky day. And through this rumour grapevine I learned how my chemistry teacher made himself quite famous for having a record of flat-out refusing such morally degrading offers._ And for that, I'll always have the highest regard for him_.

I flunked his class several times but he was very patient with me. And I guess that's the only reason why I'm still standing in this subject anyway. Just for that, I will always be thankful for his tutelage, even though I hardly learn anything…(groan)

I heard a collective sigh rise from my class so I forcefully tore my rapt gaze away from my notebook to see what the subject of my classmates' attention was._ Figures_, I rolled my eyes when I saw who it was that walked in after the teacher,_ it was Sanosuke Sagara who'd just entered._ Certified playboy extraordinaire, champion Kendo player and Mr. 'Slacker-Extreme' himself had just graced us with his presence. He flashed a winning grin towards the girls in my class and they all exhaled dreamily in response. I, on other hand, stared heavenwards for redemption.

Sanosuke Sagara, one of Kenshin's closest friends, was almost as bad as that redheaded jerk I just mentioned!_ Arrogant and self-appreciating little monkey!_ If I had a penny for every ditz who'd had her heart foolishly ripped out from her chest by the notorious Casanova and tossed aside for the vultures to ravish,_ then I'd probably be rich enough to demand ownership of all the planets in the solar system!_

…Exaggerating? Maybe a teensy, weensy bit._ But what I said was not very far from the truth you know!_

Himura had the same track record actually, though lessened considerably ever since he started dating my ex-best friend Tomoe._ Good for the world_, I guess,_ since that's one conniving wolf off the list. _But not good for me since I'd lost a friend…

_And Sanosuke?_ Since he had no steady girlfriend (and according to him, he never would), he was still free to roam the streets and terrorize conservative mothers with nightmares of having their sweet, young daughters deflowered and traumatized at an early age by the infamous lover boy.

I snorted to myself._ Bimbos!_ What they saw in him was beyond me. Sure he had the most tantalizing coffee-brown eyes that always wore a bedroom expression on them, mussed-up hair that most girls find utterly sexy and a million-dollar smile. But underneath all that, what did you get?

"Doesn't matter." I remembered Tomoe quoting those words to me some few years back when I was lamenting to her about Yumi's fate (another girl –from numerous others- who'd dropped out of Seirin High because of a broken heart, care of that Sagara jerk). My ex-best friend quirked an eyebrow at me when I told her that nobody looks at a man's depth anymore before she got herself laid. "So who wants to go any deeper anyway?"

Point taken._ Sadly…_

I raised an eyebrow as I watched him talk to the professor._ So why had he decided to finally come to class after spending almost half of the school year going A.W.O.L.?_ I couldn't help but be curious. By the look on Professor Anji's face, Sagara must have done something really stupid to totally put off the normally calm Chemistry teacher. I snorted again with disgust when I saw the wistful expression on my female classmates' faces and decided to just return to my notebook._ There's no point in thinking about lost causes._

I busily outlined my options for the chem. project I was going to work on. I knocked my left knuckles repeatedly on my desk in dissatisfaction._ I can't do anything childish or elementary because I'd wind up embarrassing myself in front of one of my most respected teachers._ But if I tried to do something difficult or beyond my scope- and failed…_then I'd wind up embarrassing myself just the same!_

I held my forehead in frustration._ Ugh!_ And as if my problems with Himura weren't enough! Aside from having no idea for this project, I also didn't have partner! And Mr. Anji grimly specified weeks ago that this was a joint project thing._ Double ugh!_

Who was I gonna ask to by my chem. partner?_ I'm not exactly queen bee of the popularity hive you know!_ I'm not even queen geek to get help from my fellow geeks, sheesh!

As I pondered about this problem, I noticed a shadow overcast my notes. I looked up to see what was towering above me and blocking my light source when my eyes widened in shock when I saw the smiling face that greeted me.

"Hey there little cat," Sanosuke Sagara drawled in that husky tone I always recognized as the bait he used to snare the brainless fishes (a.k.a._ anything that wears a skirt_). "Anji-sensei told me you'll be my new Chemistry project partner... And by the looks of it, Chemistry is going to be so much fun this year." And at this, he winked at me suggestively, something which earned me deadly looks from my female classmates in that room.

_Oh joy…_

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**A/N: Raawwwrrrr! Another chapter finished! And a good thing too because I still have midterms this week (it started last week) and this weekend is my only chance to type. I wanted my beloved readers to get on with the story instead of waiting for another week for the next update, you see. So I hope you liked this installment!**

**Okay, now for some some shout-offs:**_ Feel free to hate our dear Rurouni here! (cackles evilly) He's such an ass in this chapter, isn't he? And that's just the way I planned it! Because you know the old saying "The higher you fly, the harder you fall"? Well that's what's going to happen to him the moment he fully realizes his feelings for Kaoru bwahahahahahaha! I'm so going to enjoy writing Kaoru's revenge chapter in the future because he is SO gonna get it!_

_Oh yeah. Aoshi's not here, too bad. But hey, there's Sano! I know I said I'll reveal something about Shinomori here but I just couldn't resist this Sano-Kaoru interaction idea that suddenly popped out from out of the blue inside my head! So yeah, I guess Ao-Kao fans will just have to wait for the next chapter for their moment. (:P)_

_Sorry if I can't answer the reader queries, comments and suggestions right now. But you all know that I love you all! I'm going to re-upload this by the middle of the week **after I fix some grammar/spelling mistakes**_ anyway (I'm so excited to post this right away so I wasn't able to double check)_so I'll probably post the answers by then. Luv you all, ciao, ciao! (gives readers hugz and kizzes)_

**P.S.** This is Arwen-Sol's edited version. Thank you so much for being so patient with me Candice-sama! Lots of love to you my friend (:D)


	8. something almost happened

I finally let go of the pen in my hand in utter frustration. With a low growl, I pushed away from the table and faced my companion in exasperation.

Sanosuke was grinning from ear to ear, left hand propped up on top of the table with his knuckles cradling his left chin. His eyelids drooped down lazily, giving him a sort-of bedroom look. He ran his pink tongue over his lower lips in what I surmise was an expression of satisfaction (satisfaction over what, I wonder). "What's wrong partner?" he asked with feigned innocence. "All I did was ask you a question."

"You are free to ask me anything concerning our project Sagara-san, after all that's what we're here in the library for. But I hardly think asking me if I'm free Saturday night is a question appropriate for this particular juncture."

He laughed condescendingly, like a low, deeply-masculine rumble emanating from his throat. I fought with myself not to blush, which is something really quite hard to do owing to the fact that I'm never this intimate with any man before. And a brazen, conceited playboy at that one too. It was more that my prudish sensibilities could take!

That smirk of his was not gonna disappear anytime soon. The arrogant jerk knew the uneasy effect he had on me,_ damn him!_ "I just thought I'd get to know my partner you know," he inched closer while I moved back at the same time. "Is that so bad?"

I gave him a tight smile and decided not to further exasperate myself by playing along with his games. I stood up on my feet and huffily headed towards the exit doors of the library; but he easily caught up with me. I took no more than a few steps when I suddenly realized that he was able to block my way faster than a blink of an eye. I looked at him with unconcealed irritation and tried to sidestep him to the left. He was too quick though and he easily followed my movement. I tried to go to my right but that too was blocked.

"Okay this is really,_ really_ ridiculous!" I said to him with hands on my hips. "This is not a game Sagara!"

"Silence you two!" the old crone that was our librarian snapped at us.

Sano lifted an eyebrow and directed it to the old woman, then shrugged. "Everything's a game for me little cat," he twirled a pen that I didn't realize was in his hand all this time. He cocked his head down at me and grinned. "You might as well get used to me little one since I'm going to be your partner for the remaining school year. It's my nature to play…"

I rolled my eyes and attempted to sidestep him again- only for my effort to fail for the third time. I pursed my lips, folded my hands to my chest and looked away, saying, "You're really beginning to annoy me."

"Little cat-" he started.

I raised my palm up to his face and gave him a warning look, "My name is not 'little cat'. I'm hardly little, much less a cat."

"Not where I'm standing," his cocky grin widened.

"Which is, ironically enough, exactly on my way." I smiled sarcastically at him before turning dead serious, "Now please move."

I forced my way through, and thankfully he didn't stop me or anything undignified like that. I would have died of mortification if we made a bigger scene of what we're already making in that library. I bumped his shoulder on my way and I felt myself wince with pain. Sheesh!_ The man has a rock-hard body!_ I absently rubbed my shoulder and was about to open the library doors when his voice called me once more.

"You have something against gorgeous guys Kamiya?'

I turned around to face him, "And I assume that you're referring to yourself, huh?"_ God! His arrogance was infuriating! Kenshin pales by comparison with this moron!_

Sanosuke crossed his feet in front of him as he leaned back on my recently-vacated chair. His hands were deep in his varsity jacket and he graced me once more with one of his smart-ass grins. There really must be something horribly wrong with the world if women find that smirk of his so alluring and charming and all that bull!

"If the shoe fits," he replied arrogantly with a shrug.

I'm not stupid to see what he was hoping to attain from this. I'm not fool enough to mistake his blatant flirting as a prelude to my (in his twisted mind) eventual seduction to his bed. This was nothing more but his way to sucker me into doing the chemistry project all by myself! And I tell you this:_ he's not the least bit original._ Many male project partners I had in the past years of schooling all tried the same trick. Too bad I'm not as desperate for male attention as they all assumed I was. They all thought I was desperate enough for companionship to be fooled into doing that guy's assignment or projects or provide answers for his tests.

'_Well Mr. Gorgeous,'_ I thought with much satisfaction, _'Prepare to fail, not only in this little gamble of yours, but in your Chemistry as well.'_

I frowned at him, disgusted by his chauvinistic ways, and pushed my way through the door. The school hallway was empty and quiet, save for the sound of a wet mop being pushed across the floor by one of our school janitors. I shifted my backpack to my other shoulder and walked away from the library. As I went away, I cast a few anxious looks over my shoulder every now and then to make sure that my Chem partner was not following me. Satisfied that I was alone, I made a beeline towards the girl's lavatory to refresh myself before I meet up with another thorn in my life later at lunch: namely the red-headed moron that I was ill-fated enough to be living in the same galaxy with.

I stopped in mid-step when I felt something rush past behind me. I turned around, fully expecting Sano to be there and tease me again. But to my surprise I saw that the hallway was just as empty as before. I cocked my head questioningly as I scanned my surroundings._ Weird, I could've sworn I felt something or someone…_

I shrugged my narrow shoulders and decided to just forget it- whatever it was. I pushed the door of the girl's powder room open and was once more astonished to find Megumi inside.

_Uh-oh…!_

Instantly, my stomach clenched in anxiety the moment our eyes met._ Oh no, what am I gonna do?_ I took a step back after memories of what happened earlier this morning came flooding back inside my mind._ How could I handle myself in her presence? _I felt my heart speed up in nervous anxiety. What if she decided to do something really nasty to me now that Kenshin is not here to protect me?_ I don't think I'm strong enough, both mentally and physically, to deflect her attacks._

Megumi took a step towards me and I almost jumped out of my skin. I was so scared of any move that she'd make that I didn't realize quickly that she didn't look even the least bit angry or threatening. In fact, upon closer inspection when I finally regained my wits, I was astonished to find her smiling smugly.

She flipped her hair and casually walked up to me. Cocking an eyebrow, she hissed, "Move away loser."

I realized I was blocking the door and quickly (if not quite eagerly) followed her command. Just as she was about to go out, she stopped for a second and turned her head to the left to look at me. With a smirk designed to make your teeth chatter and your knees tremble, she told me in a silky voice, "Enjoy it while you can geek. You won't be having him for much longer."

And with those hostile words, she left the girls' room completely. I even felt an ominous and chilling wind follow her wake._ Talk about creepy with a capital C!_ I shivered slightly due to my brief encounter with the devil's concubine.

Well…_Okay, maybe calling her Lucifer's lover was a bit harsh._ I don't think she was THAT evil._ Bitchy, sure, but not cold-blooded evil…right?_

I faced the bathroom mirror and splashed some water on my face. I didn't know why I'm so bent on convincing myself that Megumi was not capable of anything downright wicked. I guess in a way I was just reassuring myself that she was not angry enough to do something that would actually endanger my life or something like that, right? Still, even with these reassurances I could still feel a slight chill in my spine._ Man, her words were so eerie!_

I entered one of the cubicles with the intent to relieve the pressure in my midsection. After a few seconds, just as I was about to finish up doing my business, I heard the door of the bathroom slam open followed by the noise of rushing footsteps and incomprehensible chatter of female voices. Suddenly, I heard a muffled sound against my cubicle door that I couldn't clearly distinguish. Thoroughly puzzled now, I cleaned myself up, zipped up my pants and tried to open the door. To my surprise, I tried to push it open but it won't budge! I tried to do this again and again but with no luck. With dread, I suddenly realized that the sound I heard a little while ago was the sound of something being jammed against the door handle to prevent it from being opened.

_They locked me in_, I looked at the unmoving door in front of me with shock.

_But why?_ I wanted to scream out in frustration. I pushed and pulled the door handle repeatedly in panicked frenzy. Of course that didn't work, so I tried hitting the door instead with my palm, shouting, "What's going on? Who's out there? Let me out! Let me out!"

I heard laughter and one voice among the many quickly struck a chord in my subconscious. That smooth, silky voice was terribly familiar to me among the chorus or contemptuous laughter. Green eyes glinting with malice paired with a smug grin came into my mind._ No!_ I mentally screamed, realizing that my hunch was more or less true._ She wouldn't! She couldn't! How…how…is it possible! Is she really that evil!_

"Let me out!" I yelled at them once more even though I knew it was useless. I was about to repeat my plea when I heard the girls on the other side cry out, "Heave-ho!"

I almost knew what was coming but I still looked up to see what it was. In an instant, I was doused with a bucket-full of dirty, smelly water from above my cubicle. The force of the rushing water made me stumble to my feet, thus falling flat on my butt on top of the commode. It was a good thing I had put the lid down after I used it or my bottom would have been soaked with toilet water._ Not that it would have mattered_, I thought ironically,_ with me being wet all over because of those unknown girls that trapped me here. _

_It was too much for me!_ Slowly, the tears started to fall no matter how hard I tried to restrain them. I heard the bitches chuckle derisively when they heard me crying and that just made me cry even harder. Through the haze of my tears, I saw a hand below the cubicle door push a piece of paper towards my feet. After that, I could hear them walking out of the girl's lavatory, sniggering to themselves. When the sounds of their footsteps finally died down and were muffled by the closing doors, I knelt forward, and with trembling fingers picked up the wet piece of paper that they left me.

'**This is just the beginning. You can't have him!'**

I choked after reading these words and let the paper fall from my hands. I looked up at the ceiling and groaned when I realized the full weight of the consequences I'm going to endure because I agreed on this stupid deal with Mr. Okina. With a sinking feeling at the pit of my stomach, I finally realized what this was all about.

_Himura's fans are out to get me_… And they were obviously led by the most dangerous slut to ever walk the corridors of Seirin High!

_One month…_ I groaned._ I'm going to suffer this kind of torture for one month!_

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"Do you want more fries?"

Tomoe giggled as Akira offered his fries at her paired with that endearing smile of his. It was lunch time and their group was in the cafeteria, just eating and goofing around. And throughout the last twenty minutes, all Akira did was to obviously advertise himself as a ready replacement in Tomoe's life after her supposed break-up with Kenshin.

Tomoe blessed him with a smile that she knew would make any man's heart go a-flutter. She thanked him but refused the fries, saying that she was watching her weight. With a look of obvious disappointment, Akira settled back in his seat and ate the fries himself.

Sitting beside Tomoe, Yumi discreetly pinched her to the side with a whispered, "You're such a tease."

She giggled once more, "Am not!"

"Are to!"

Across the table, Sayo nodded her prim head with a smile, "I'm afraid Yumi is right Tomoe."

Before the three friends could launch into a lengthy debate about that one, Sanosuke joined them shortly and easily straddled the chair next to a stone-silent Enishi and punched knuckles with him and Akira as a form of manly greeting. "Hey!" he coolly addressed the girls sharing the table. He reached out and took a fistful of Akira's fries, thus earning him an indignant outcry from his friend.

"You're late," Yumi said to him.

Sano wagged his eyebrows teasingly at her, "I didn't know you're keeping tabs of my presence Yumi-chan. Are you telling me that you're starting to fall in love with me?" At this, he leaned forward on the table and dropped his voice to a sexy whisper, "I'm not doing anything special tonight. Wanna drop by my place later?"

Yumi made a face and she was saved from giving him a piece of her mind when Tomoe cut in, "It's just that you're usually the first one to get here in the cafeteria during lunch before any one of us."

"And that's because he usually skips his class before lunch, namely Chemistry," Akira informed the group.

"Say's who?" Sano feigned innocence after he received disapproving stares from the academically-upright girls. "I go to Chem!" Akira rolled his eyes with these words from Sano and that earned him a punch on the arm. "Honestly I do. Professor Anji is going to chew my butt if I don't clean up my act. In fact, a few minutes ago I was just in the library talking to my chem partner about our project for the final term."

Yumi suddenly perked up and leaned forward with interest, "What's she like?"

Sanosuke grinned, "What made you say that she's a girl?"

Akira joined in the tirade, "When are you planning to bed her?"

"Wait a sec! What made you guys thi-"

"I bet she's a ditz with big boobs," Yumi smirked knowingly. Sayo gave her a reproachful look that she wasn't able to catch because she averted her eyes to say hello to a classmate of hers that just passed by.

Sagara laughed, finally relenting to his friends' inquiry. "Okay, okay you caught me," he took some fries again from Akira's plate and carelessly munched on it. "Yeah, my partner's a girl."

Yumi yawned and stretched her arms above her head. "Predictable," she said.

"So when are you getting into her pants?" Akira persisted. Enishi reached over to his side and smacked him at the back of the head for his insensitive remarks. But Tomoe's stern stare did more damage to him than her twin brother's fist.

"I don't know," Sano answered thoughtfully. He leaned back on his chair and licked his fingers for the remaining taste of the fries. "I'm not sure. I mean, she doesn't seem to be the type who-"

"Wait! Wait!" Tomoe exclaimed with large, incredulous eyes. "You guys, was it just me or did I just hear Sano say the words _'I'm not sure'_ about a girl?"

Yumi made an exaggerated gasp and Akira slammed the side of his fist on top of the table to add emphasis. This irritated Sanosuke and he didn't have any qualms in showing this. "Knock it off," he told them peevishly. "What I meant was-"

His next words died in his throat when a familiar red-haired guy walked up to their table. Kenshin smiled down at them, a food tray in his hands, and greeted, "Hello there!"

The silence that ensued after that was so unnatural that it was freaky. Everyone tensed in their position with the exception of Enishi who remained grim-faced, like always. But he did grunt just to show that his mood changed somewhat.

After a while, it was Sayo who broke the stillness when she smiled back and returned his greeting (though a bit awkwardly), "Hi Kenshin…"

His lavender eyes trailed away from Sayo and locked with Tomoe for a moment. Tomoe felt weird having to pretend that she was angry with her boyfriend, but she knew she had to play along in this charade. She turned away from him so Kenshin had no choice but to direct his attention somewhere else. "What's up?" he was looking at Akira as he said this.

Akira didn't respond immediately, but after a while he shrugged, "Nothing much, same old, same old."

With the exception of himself, Sano knew why the group -even Himura's best friend Enishi- was giving Kenshin the cold shoulder. The news of his break-up with Tomoe was all over school. And though he has yet to meet the girl his redheaded friend had chosen over Tomoe, Sanosuke refused to be angry with Himura because of something -in his own opinion- so trivial and absolutely petty. After all, Sagara was used to playing the field and breaking hearts of women both young and old… So he couldn't really sympathize too well with Tomoe, even though she was his friend.

_She'll get over it_, Sagara thought with his typical, arrogant self-assurance._ They all do after some time_. In the meantime, Tomoe should start getting through her head that this is not the end of the world.

"My man!" Sanosuke patted the empty chair between him and Enishi. "Come over here and join the club. These guys are practically skewering me for information about my female chem lab partner."

Yumi shot him a not-so-discreet dirty look which he easily ignored. Kenshin shook his head, "I'm afraid I can't. I'm supposed to eat with, well, you know…" he dared to hazard a glance at Tomoe as if he was afraid that to mention the name of his new girlfriend would make his ex spontaneously combust. "Though I haven't seen her around yet."

Sanosuke teased him by making a whipping sound with his mouth. Kenshin rolled his eyes in response.

"I guess I'll see you guys later," he started.

"God I hope not," Yumi deliberately stage-whispered with scorn in her voice. It was Sano's turn to shot her an irritated look. But he didn't really need to do that because Kenshin was already walking away, thus he didn't hear her say those words.

Yumi was on her feet as she smacked her hands on the table, "What is your problem?" she demanded at Sanosuke. "Or are you really that insensitive?"

"Yumi," Tomoe tried to pacify her friend.

Sanosuke stood up and cocked his head condescendingly down at her. He had a brief staring match with Yumi; but in the end he thought it would be much better for him to just leave. Sanosuke Sagara…he was the type who simply refused to get caught up in typical girl melodrama. He didn't want to be the receiving end of a woman's passion unless it was of the amorous kind._ Too stressful for him_. And as he walked away, Sayo's eyes followed him until he disappeared behind the big double doors of the cafeteria entrance. She sighed wearily but said nothing.

After all that had happened, the group was surprised when Enishi suddenly spoke up, "Megumi's late too…"

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I angrily kicked the door and took little comfort to the stinging pain that I inflicted on my toes._ How long had she been trapped in this cubicle anyway?_ Why wasn't there anyone coming in to save her? I'm sure some students, especially since it was around lunch time, should be rushing inside the girls' powder room to freshen up, swap gossip or just plain hang out. But I had been waiting here for quite a while now and the lavatory remained empty.

What happened?_ Unless…_

And then I sort of knew the answer. Of course, if Megumi and her crew did something as simple as put an 'out-of-order' sign or 'cleaning time' sign outside the bathroom door, then it was really no wonder why no one was coming in to use the lavatory and thereby discover me. Simple but clever…

_That witch! That good-for-nothing bitch! This really takes the cake!_

I slumped lower on my seat with despair as this realization set in. If such is a case then there would be no escaping this hell! Here in the bathroom, trapped in a cubicle and reeking of dirty water- the idea was enough to send me to a torrent of tears again.

_I wonder how long it would take them before they'd discover my lifeless body. Would they ever convict the right person…?_

_Stop!_ I was aghast with myself._ Stop thinking such ominous thoughts! You're not gonna die here!_ Someone was bound to wonder where I am and start searching for me._ And by 'someone' I meant my supposed boyfriend of course!_

I perked up with hope at this note._ Oh God I don't even want to think about his reaction when he finally discovers me in the loo!_ But right now, my embarrassment would have to take a back seat over my fervent wish that he would rescue me from this hell hole!_ And soon too, please?_

_Be strong…_

Aoshi's face suddenly appeared in my mind and I relished the sight of him. He was my only comfort for the last half-hour, and I intend to continue deriving my optimism from thoughts of him if that would help me endure a couple more minutes of being inside this cubicle until I get saved.

_I will be strong Aoshi…_ Even though felt like crying again, I had savagely fought the tears at bay._ Once is enough! _Megumi has crossed me one time too many! Normally, I would have been cowering in fear or crying silently in self-reproach, never dreaming to confront Megumi about this. But since I promised Aoshi I would be stronger then I couldn't allow myself to give in to my natural weakness and just curl up inside my proverbial shell._ I'd fail Aoshi if I do that!_

And with sadness and fear pushed back for the time being, no other emotion was left to consider but anger.

And with this anger came forth an idea…

_When I'm finally out of this place,_ I gritted my teeth in fury as a plan hatched in my mind._ That bitch Megumi is really going to get it from me!_

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_Kenshin was getting worried._

Lunch was almost over but Kaoru never came. He left the cafeteria in search of her, stopping a few people along the way, those he knew were her classmates in her other classes. But that proved to be a fruitless attempt because Kaoru was so low in the social ladder that hardly anyone knew she existed.

_Damn it!_ Kenshin growled at the back of his mind._ Where is that foolish girl now?_

At this time, he passed by good 'ol Mr. Yani who was standing in front of the door of the girl's lavatory with a confused expression on his face. Kenshin was too busy worrying about Kaoru that he didn't quite realize that Mr. Yani spoke up in wonder, "Why is there an _'out-of-order'_ sign posted here?"

Mr. Yani removed the sign and entered the girls' room. Kenshin hadn't put enough distance between himself and the comfort room for him not to hear Mr. Yani's startled cry. The young man couldn't help but worry so he quickly followed the old custodian inside the ladies restroom to see what the problem was.

Kenshin gasped when he saw the girl sitting above the commode, dripping wet and stinking up the air with her unbelievable stench.

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Lunch was over and students were streaming out from the cafeteria doors. Among those throng was Megumi with her friends Yumi, Sayo and Tomoe. Akira and Enishi followed behind.

Tomoe wrinkled her nose when Megumi laughed while recounting a story about something horrible that had happened to one of their schoolmates. She disliked the Takani vixen not only because of her mean streak but because she flirted with Kenshin outright even back then when people thought that he and Tomoe were together. She was with them only because Sayo and Yumi were friends with the nasty girl.

_We are –still- together_. Tomoe giggled to herself._ But people didn't know that._ They all fell for the Kaoru and Kenshin's charade and really thought that Kaoru was Kenshin's new girlfriend now. Meaning, Megumi was Kaoru's problem now as of today…

Tomoe heard about the stunt Megumi pulled yesterday and this morning to Kaoru and she felt even more disgusted at the conniving woman. At the same time, she was proud of her darling for coming to her ex-best friend's defense. Sure, Kenshin was a little too harsh by throwing Megumi out of her own locker. But the bitch had it coming!_ She deserved it!_

Tomoe was busy musing to herself to realize that everyone stopped in their tracks in the middle of the halls, including her own friends. "What's going on?" she asked when she finally noticed the stillness. And her question was quickly answered when her eyes landed at the middle of the hallway.

Kenshin was there. And right next to him was someone that Tomoe didn't instantly recognize due to the girl's sorry-looking state. But it only took Tomoe a split second to finally gasp out loud when she distinguished who it was.

_Kaoru!_

Megumi stiffened beside her and she didn't know why. Kaoru took a step towards them but Kenshin restrained her by the arm. They exchanged looks, one that no one else comprehended the meaning except for the two of them because Kenshin finally let her go after that stare-off. With a determined expression on her soaked, dirty face, Kaoru walked up to them near Tomoe and right in front of Megumi.

Kaoru smiled, or was that a wince? "Takani-san," she uttered in a low voice.

Megumi was silent for a while. But finally, her sassiness and composure returned and she smirked at Kaoru's appearance, "I see you've recently taken a bath loser, congratulations. But you're supposed to be cleaner after you take one, not the other way around."

If not for Kenshin's presence, that barb would surely have found an appreciative audience among the students. But since the declaration this morning about Kaoru's relationship with Himura, no one dared to tempt his anger by laughing at his 'girlfriend'.

Kaoru gave a sarcastic smile, "I'd keep that in mind Takani-san, thanks for the advice. So let me give you one of my own, just to return the favor." At this, she folded her hands tightly to her chest and tilted an eyebrow as she said, "Don't you ever trap me in the bathroom and douse me with dirty water –**ever**- again, or else…"

With that threat, Kaoru turned away from her. Megumi sneered at this, "Or else what geek? Are you going to cry again or something equally pathetic?"

She was seriously flirting with doom, especially with Kenshin just an ear-shot away,_ but Megumi didn't care!_ She was not going to let this sniveling brat humiliate her for the second time today! She would not back down!

"Better make an appointment to your dentist tomorrow," Kaoru said to her in a calm voice. And before Megumi could demand what she meant by that, the girl already whirled around, arm pulled back, right hand closed into a tight fist, and the next thing Megumisaw were stars exploding in her face…

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I was wrapped inside a Tweety bird bathrobe wearing shorts and a loose t-shirt underneath when I finally came out of my room. Earlier, when I got home, I quickly rushed to the shower to get out of my wet, stinky clothes- relieved to be free from its stinky confines. I was thankful that my mom was not around to ask questions about my state. She was probably still in the office doing over-time. Usually I grumble about her not spending too much time with me. But today I was pleasantly relieved that this was not one of those days when she'd come home unnaturally early from work.

I descended down the stairs and walked up to the figure lounging on my sofa in the living room. Kenshin was idly changing channels before I arrived, but when he saw me approach him he quickly turned off the TV and faced me with a frown on his face.

"Are you okay now?" he asked. I dared not hope that it was concern I detected in his voice. I shrugged and sat beside him, with the question, "Do you want something to drink?"

He shook his head and I shrugged once more. I leaned back on the sofa and stared up at the ceiling pensively. After a while before I could stop myself, I uttered out, "I'm sorry you had to accompany me home and skip the rest of your class…"

He rubbed the back of his neck and averted his gaze to the potted plants hanging near the windows. I knew he was uncomfortable with my suddenly soft demeanor, and probably unsure either how to broach the subject about what I did to Megumi's teeth a little while earlier.

Finally, Kenshin broke the silence between us, "I should be the one sorry you know." He blushed when I gave him a weird look so he continued, stuttering a bit, "What I meant was, well, this attack was dealt to you by my-"

"Moronic fans; all of them having no taste whatsoever!" I finished for him.

He cast me a droll look, "Yeah…something like that."

"It's not like you could have stopped them," I was amazed when I realized that I was defending him. I twiddled my fingers uneasily when I felt him stare at me intensely. "Well it's true!" I defended myself. "They're big girls with minds of their own. Do you really think they'll leave me alone just because you said so?"

He was shaking his head but I knew he couldn't refute my words. So instead, he leaned back on the couch and asked me, "What now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is it really worth getting you all this abuse just to get into that stupid play?"

"The play is a matter of opinion." I leaned away and smacked him with the nearest throw pillow I could reach. "I don't care about your rotten groupies and their monkey antics. I didn't suffer through your company after almost five days just to back out now."

"You're really stupid," he exclaimed grumpily, trying to dodge my attacks. I rolled my eyes at him and retorted, "Many would call it 'persistence' you know. And that's not exactly a bad thing."

He managed to grab the pillow I was holding and we had a tug of war with it. Naturally, him being male and an athlete at that didn't help my odds in winning this childish game, so he was able to yank the item from hands quite easily.

"Why don't you just go home Himura," I told him crossly. "And quit annoying me!"

I tried to grab the pillow back but he maneuvered it out of my reach. "You're really quite something back there, do you know that Kamiya? Socking Megumi like that in front of everyone. I never thought you had it in you."

"Yeah? Well…" I gave up on the pillow and dropped back to my original position on the couch. "Don't expect a repeat performance anytime soon. My knuckles still hurt like hell."

Before I could react, Kenshin was beside me, pulling at my hand, trying to inspect my injured fist. I squirmed at his touch but he wouldn't let go even though I was passionately voicing out my objections. He clucked at his tongue when he saw the bruises and shot me a stern look, "You should have treated this first!"

"I'm fine!" I insisted. He gave me a stubborn look in return. And to prove me wrong, he callously pressed a finger on the tender skin around my knuckles so I cried out in pain.

_I'm going to murder him!_

"Doesn't sound fine to me," the insufferable ass grinned mockingly, glad to be proven right. "Come on let's get that hand bandaged," he started to get up and drag me with him. I protested vehemently and tried to tug free from his grip. Once more there was a fierce tug-of-war between us, with my wrist as the prize this time.

Kenshin was getting angry now. "You're such brat!" he didn't mind telling me.

I didn't answer back and opted to use his indignation as a distraction. With all of my might, I pulled away from him and this time I was successful. But to my horror, the force was strong enough to unbalance Himura on his feet and he came hurtling down on me. And the next thing I knew, he was lying on top of me on the sofa.

_Why is this scene familiar?_

My voice got caught in my throat the moment our eyes locked. His breathing was low and deep and his chest pushed against mine heavily, coloring my cheeks with the grim realization of how close our bodies were.

I swallowed hard, "H-Himura…?"

His voice was slightly ragged when he replied, "Kaoru…"

My eyes widened when he dipped his head towards mine and I instantly knew what he planned to do. I tried to sum up all of my strength to push him away but my arms remained dead next to me.

I shut my eyes tightly when his breath fanned my lips and cheeks. And just when I vaguely felt the tip of his lips touch mine, I heard the front door slam open followed by my mother's voice, "Please come in Mr. Shinomori."

Kenshin and I both snapped out from our daze at the sound of people. But we were not fast enough to push each other away, and exactly at that inopportune moment my mom strode inside the living room. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Kenshin straddled on top of me.

"Mom it's not what you-" but the words died in my throat when I saw the lanky, black-haired teen that followed her. That newcomer froze too, right where he was standing when he saw Kenshin andI in that compromising position.

_I felt like I died and went to heaven when I saw the unreadable look in Aoshi Shinomori's eyes!_

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_**A/N: Dun, dun, dun! Gyahahahaha what's going to happen to them now?**_

_**Reader shout-offs goes to the following amazing people:** (Soweee if I can't answer everyone right now. These are the people who reviewed chapter 7)_

erica

Shinta

-little oro-

Dreycy-chan **(Yes Kaoru was emotionally abused by her father back then, though nothing sexual)**

booop

Nette JP

Phi-Dono

S3r3nity

Tsukasa Miyamoto

kitsune55 (vitriolic?)

Brittanie Love

eruza

crasyducky

kenshinlover2002

ss1128

ookami otome **(Actually, Enishi has a BIG role here –wink,wink- don't worry it's not being the villain. More will be revealed about him in the following chapters)**

Kaoru4

Reignashii

whOOt

princess-oro

hatami

bishoujo21

ken

Lendra-chan

sprout-angel

luvHaru7

Me

Aoi senshi

_**Thanks everyone! Ciao, ciao!**_


	9. who is she

I instantly pushed Kenshin away from me when I saw who the person was with my mom. All blood drained away from my face when I cried out hoarsely, "A-Aoshi…!"

My mother's anger was ignored because all that mattered to me was those pair of dark, stormy eyes piercing my being with his unvoiced question.

I stood on my feet, though slightly wobbly, and uttered, "W-what are you doing here Aoshi?"

Aoshi chose not to answer because right at that moment, my mom marched towards me with a threatening look on her lovely face. I took a step back when a sudden fear clutched me after seeing her expression. "Mom," my voice was pleading, mentally willing her not to do anything that would embarrass me in front of Aoshi Shinomori._ What if she slapped me again?_ I didn't think I could bear the humiliation for the second time if that happened.

My mother stopped right in front of me with her hands firmly on her sides._ Good_, at least she seemed to forget that option. But her eyes were on fire and I knew I was in deep trouble if I didn't do any explaining- fast!

Mrs. Kamiya turned to my companion and practically hissed, "You may leave us now Mr. Himura."

"Mommy let me-"

"Ma'm it's not what you think-" Kenshin and I spoke up at the same time.

My mother only narrowed her eyes at the two of us. To Kenshin, she told him pointedly, "I don't want to repeat myself Mr. Himura."

"I-"

"I said leave!"

"We're not screwing around mom!" I finally shouted at my mother's face, seriously flustered at the situation. I didn't really mean to raise my voice like that, but at least it did the trick because my mother clammed up and was now looking at me with incredulity. This, after all, was the first time I spoke up to her in that tone in front of other people._ But I couldn't help it!_ If I let my mom finish that scene in her way, I knew there would be no other chance to rectify it later on.

Kenshin, too, was looking at me with disbelief clear in his lavender eyes. I guess he was not used to all this spunk coming from me. After all, I'm _–the-_ Kaoru Kamiya who usually just sits in a corner and wallow silently in her misery.

I was slightly red-faced at my outburst, but I continued anyway before I could lose the adrenaline pumping in my veins, "We-we, that is to say, Kenshin and I…er I mean," I cleared my throat uneasily, aware of the three pairs of eyes staring at me now. "Um, nothing happened mom. Honest! Kenshin and I were just…just…"

I was blushing furiously now, especially when I raised my eyes from the floor to see Aoshi's reaction and saw that his face remained as placid and as expressionless as before. I had no idea what he was thinking right now, and it killed me that I had no way of knowing.

"Just playing around like little kids," Kenshin finished for me when he saw me unable to do so. "Honest Mrs. K! We weren't doing anything that we're not supposed to do."

My mother eyed my vivid colouring suspiciously and demanded, "Then why are you blushing so much Kaoru?"

_Oh God did you really have to ask?_ How would YOU feel if the most important guy in your life walked in on you in a very compromising position with another man?

Instead of voicing out these thoughts, I gave the most obvious answer in such a situation, "It's just due to the initial unease of being accused of something you're not guilty of."

My mom didn't show any signs that she bought our story. But I knew then that the matter was still not settled when she spoke up in a mocking tone, "Well, I apologize for flying off the bat. But how else do you expect me to react? After all, I clearly remember that you're supposed to stay away from that young man!"

I gasped while Kenshin's brows furrowed. And to add to the recriminations, my mother looked at the grandfather clock in the den and noted the time, "And I also seem to remember that your dismissal isn't until four o'clock. But here you are," she motioned her hands in our direction to add emphasis, "Hours early. Now I wonder why that is the case, hmm?"

Kenshin and I looked at each other, unable to say anything to that. I knew my little dilemma with Megumi was not something I'd ever tell my mom._ SO how could I explain it without lying outright?_

My mother folded her arms tightly to her chest when our silence went on for more than a few minutes without either one of us offering an explanation. She nodded her head and smiled tightly, "Yup, that's what I thought." She pointed a finger to the stairs with the statement, "Young lady, up your room and don't come out until you're permitted to do so." Then she turned to Kenshin and hitched a thumb over her shoulder to indicate the front door, "Goodbye Mr. Himura."

Since we couldn't wriggle our way out of this one, there was nothing else to do but to follow Mrs. Kamiya, or else, risk antagonizing her more. So with defeated expressions, Kenshin and I walked towards the foyer, exchanged defeated looks, sighed, and parted ways. Him, headed towards the door. And me, dragging my feet up the stairs.

As I came up, I threw one last glance towards the den to see how Aoshi was reacting to all of this. But again, he disappointed me by not sparing me a glance in my direction.

It should be clear to me what he meant._ He didn't care…_

_But what was he doing here in the first place?_

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I was summoned around dinner time for, well, dinner of course. So grudgingly, I came downstairs with every intent to ignore my mother and make my hostilities known to her. But instead, I almost jumped out of my own skin when, as soon as I turned the corner that led to the dining room, I almost bumped face-first to a wide, masculine chest. Good thing that the owner of that said chest had fast reflexes because if not for the hand he had put out in front of him to stop my collision, then I most certainly would have slammed my delicate glasses on that hard body.

My shock was not over when I realized that the owner of that torso happened to be Aoshi Shinomori!

_What the heck was he still doing here?_

He didn't say anything when he placed me away from him. He was about to turn away when I finally couldn't take the suspense anymore and decided to confront him. My hand shot out and grabbed his thin, white shirt to hold him in place as I asked, "What are you still doing here?"

He threw my hand a lazy look before those same eyes slowly crept up all the way to my face. Aoshi still looked as hard and as expressionless as a boulder,_ oh but what a handsome boulder he'd make…_

"You could ask without suddenly seizing my shirt, you know," he thought it wise to point out.

"I could," I agreed while nervously running my tongue over my lower lip. "But I had to be sure that you won't escape me."

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing more. I let him go, but the words he followed with were so unexpected that it knocked the wind right out of me. "You and your boyfriend seemed to be having fun back there," he had said to me with a poker-straight face. It sounded so casual that, if you didn't take a minute to analyze his tone, you wouldn't easily realize that he was actually mocking you.

When I finally got over my shock, I started, "We didn't-!"

"Kaoru Kamiya! Why are you raising your voice on our guest?"

My mom came out from the kitchen suddenly in the middle of my tirade. She was wiping her hands with a dishrag as she gave me a stern look. Afterwards, she directed an apologetic gaze to Aoshi with the words, "I'm sorry about my daughter, Mr. Shinomori. Believe me she's not usually this rude."

"Mom!"

Mrs. Kamiya's expression told me not to further worsen my situation by being indignant. Then smiling genially, she turned once more to Aoshi, "I hope you don't mind dear boy, but I made spaghetti for dinner."

"Sounds divine ma'm," Aoshi returned just as warmly, paired with a polite tilt of his lips that almost resembled a smile._ Almost_. Without glancing back, those two left me standing there in the hallway like I WAS the stranger in this situation. I gritted my teeth in annoyance, partly with my mother who never gave me a chance to explain myself, and partly with Aoshi with his continued indifference towards me.

Bitterly, I followed the two to the dining room and took my seat -_the one farthest from either my mom or Aoshi_- while Mrs. Kamiya served the food. Afterwards, my mom took her position at the head of the table and said grace before we all began to dig in. I must admit, even though I was angry with my mom, she did make a great spaghetti. I was about to ask for another serving when my mom suddenly decided to declare the reason why Aoshi was with us.

"He's the son of an important client, Kaoru. His parents are going away for a few weeks and I suggested that their son stay with us for the time being."

I almost spewed my dinner in front of me because of shock._ Is my mother for real?_

_What was she thinking?_ I wanted to scream at my mom. Never mind that a part of my mind was celebrating the fact that I'm going to be with Aoshi everyday for the next few weeks. But I just remembered that she blasted me and Kenshin earlier because of what she thought she saw was an 'inappropriate' situation._ And now she was planning to let a grown man stay with us, when she had a daughter whose reputation might be questioned due to such housing setup? _

I knew she was doing this for the 'important' client._ But sheesh_, regardless that we had a tiff last night,_ she could have asked me first about how I'd feel about this whole thing!_

"I didn't want to be a bother Mrs. Kamiya," Aoshi started in a rueful tone. But my mom already reached over to place her hand on top of his on the table and patted it encouragingly before he could finish. "It's no hassle at all, dear boy. It's a pleasure to have your company and to be of service to your parents," my mom flashed a radiant grin that I knew even guys of my age, regardless of the wide age difference, would surely find positively captivating._ MY mom was an absolute beauty after all_, didn't I already said that before

I unconsciously clenched my fists on my lap when I saw how Aoshi's eyes softened with obvious admiration over my mother's smile. I coughed violently to get their attention and furiously threw my napkin down the table. "I'm finished!" I told them icily. "The sauce was horrible! But thanks anyway!"

I ignored my mother's horrified expression at such blatant insult and hurriedly turned around to head for my room._ Good! Why should I be the only one who had to suffer?_

I had just reached the foot of the stairs when I screamed because someone grabbed my arm and pulled me down. My eyes widened when I found myself being slammed against a familiar chest. Aoshi looked down threateningly at me and hissed, "When I said you have to build up courage, did I say that you should direct all that newfound sassiness to your mother?"

I pushed him away furiously with the words, "Coming to her defence now, huh? You obviously care a lot about my mother, I wonder why though."

I saw Aoshi visibly stiffen with the insinuation. I thought he'd argue with me or say something that would prove my theory otherwise. But much to my dismay, he only stared silently at my indignant face and didn't bother to offer even a single argument about the matter. This lack of reaction only made my face redden with mortification when I considered the possibility that I might have hit the mark…

_No! No! No!_

"So you DO like my mom!" I gasped. Choking sounds came out of my throat due to my inability to correctly express my disbelief. "Y-y-y-you can't! I mean this-this-this is-is-"

"Speechless?"

There was a hint of amusement in his voice though his face gave away nothing. He started to approach me and I backed away, suddenly fearful. But after only a few steps, my back met the hard surface of the wall; and right then and there I knew I was trapped. I pressed my body against the smooth flower-patterned wallpaper and wished with all of my heart that I had the ability to disappear.

Aoshi raised his arm and planted his palm firmly on the wall right next to my face. His other hand was deep inside his pocket while he angled his head to give me a mocking look. And in a calmly sarcastic tone, he asked, "What is it to you if I like Mrs. Kamiya? She's a great lady after all. I don't bloody care why you're shouting off your hatred to your boyfriend in one minute, and then telling me how much you love him in the next. Confusing as it is, I don't bother you about it."

"T-that is," I stuttered, "A t-totally different m-matter!"

"How different?"

'_I like you,'_ almost slipped out. Instead, I told him, "She's old enough to be your own mom!"

At first, he didn't answer and only stared at me for a while. Slowly, his unwavering gaze was beginning to unnerve me. And just when I thought I had to tell him to let me go, he removed his hand from the wall and took one step back. He shrugged his wide shoulders and dug both his hands inside his pockets before whispering, "I'm not interested…"

"What?"

"I'm not interested with your mother because…because I'm already in love with somebody else."

I was stunned by that declaration and Aoshi looked surprised himself to have revealed so much. Angrily, he walked past me, even bumping my shoulder roughly in the process, towards the guest room where he would be sleeping in starting from today. He looked extremely disgruntled to let that information slip. And the loud banging of the guestroom door only affirmed that resentment.

I was looking disturbed too and was beside myself with a mixture of relief and pain at such revelation._ So he was not involved with my mother_, well that's a load off my shoulders._ But then…_

I cupped my hands to my lips and squeezed my eyes shut as the first few pinpricks of pain started to bombard me._ 'I'm in love with somebody else…'_

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I shivered slightly when the cold evening breeze hit my back. The darkness enveloping the playground was scary and more than just slightly unsettling, but I didn't mind. I looked at my wristwatch and noted the time- 09:40 PM._ He's late…_

I was sitting on one of the swing sets and gave it a slight push to boost me upwards. I continued to swing forward and back for a while until I got tired. After a few more minutes, I stopped to rest and raised my eyes to the gate once more- just in time to see a familiar figure enter the playground. That same redhead approached me with calm, leisurely steps as he raised his hand in greeting, "Hey!"

At that moment,_ I didn't want to think anymore_. I just wanted so much to have a friend beside me; to have someone to talk to and to have someone who'd listen to me. And my sudden urge for companionship left no room for me to be picky. So crying silently, I propelled my body towards Kenshin and hugged him tightly for all his worth.

Kenshin was pushed back by the force of the impact. He looked so thoroughly perplexed about the situation that he wasn't given the time to think about fending me off. And thanks to his own confusion, he didn't realize that he involuntarily hugged me back in return.

"What? What? What?" he was stammering-_ something I never thought I'd ever witness in my entire life_. "What's happening here?"

I held on tightly to his shirt sleeves as my head rested on top of his left shoulder. I didn't respond at first and he didn't force the answer out of me, even though I could sense that his curiosity was killing him. Surprisingly, he was sensitive enough not to press me further until my sobs died down. And when it finally did, he tenderly set me away from him and peered at my puffy, red eyes through my bangs and thick glasses to see how I was.

Softly,_ in one of the gentlest voices I've ever heard him use_, he asked, "Care to tell me what this is all about now?"

I sniffed and dried my eyes with the base of my palms like a helpless little child who just ran to the comforting arms of her father or big brother. Shaking, I said to him in a quiet voice, "I'm such a fool…"

I waited for him to say something nasty about that,_ and I was right_. "We both know that my dear," he said dryly. "But for you to admit it to me is quite strange. Something bad must have happened then."

He gently helped me down the swing seat. And then he towered over me and cocked an eyebrow, "Well?"

I let out a sniffle, "Well what?"

Kenshin blew up some air and gave me an exasperated look, "Well you didn't call me late at night, ask me to come meet you, hug me as soon as you saw me and break into tears without reason just for the heck of it, right? So when are you planning to tell me what this is all about?"

I looked up at him shyly after he pointed those things out, "When you put it that way…I sounded like a real baka back there."

He snorted and folded his arms to his chest, "You bet!"

I lowered my gaze to the ground and whispered, "You're probably right too."

Kenshin gave me a weird look at first. And when the answer wouldn't come to him just by staring at me, he noisily sat down on the swing that was next to me in preparation for his interrogation. "Why are you being agreeable all of a sudden?"

I shrugged, "What are you talking about? I AM an agreeable person."

"Yeah right," he grunted. "When pigs grow silver wings and fly to the air to meet Peter Pan in Neverland."

I giggled, "Okay, so maybe I'm not."

"There you go again being so goddamn agreeable!"

I sobered up when I saw that Kenshin was seriously getting agitated. A sad smile flitted across my lips as I looked away. "Aren't guys supposed to like girls that are agreeable?"

"What's that got to do with anything?" his forehead was creased in confusion. "You're not trying to endear yourself to me…are you?"

At this, I couldn't help but laugh outright._ It was just too damn funny! _His face was so comical and the unusual tilt in his voice that could be mistaken as something that sounded akin to hopeful was so absurd that I'd be surprised with myself if I didn't find the situation hilarious. "Heaven's sake, of course not!" I gasped in between giggles. "Did I look like I was trying to?" Then something even more amusing struck me, "Why Kenshin Himura? Did you want me to?"

"Hell no!" Kenshin looked terribly disgruntled at being caught in such an embarrassing position. "I don't give a damn about who you like or who you try to impress, idiot!" He turned away and furiously pushed himself off the ground to swing himself back and forth. "I'm just asking a question, sheesh!"

"And consider it answered," I chuckled at his obvious discomfort. I was thoroughly enjoying myself teasing him._ And it felt odd…_

When the laughter died down, Kenshin couldn't help but wonder out loud, "I'm surprised that your mother let you out after what happened earli-"

"I sneaked out."

He stopped from swinging so I faced him squarely, "I wanted to apologize about my mom's actions..."

_Well he certainly didn't expect that_. Sure, I apologized to him a lot of times before, but it was always forced out by him. I never said sorry to him before that was out of my own volition, you know. SO naturally, he looked mighty uncomfortable about the whole situation. I guess for him, he might be wondering whether I'm the real Kaoru Kamiya or not._ And it wasn't like I could blame him_. I felt so strange and so unlike the old me today. And I'm not entirely sure if I liked the change that I was undergoing…

"I," he cleared his throat uneasily. "I kind of understand your mom so you really don't need to…well…apologize."

I smiled in understanding and said nothing more. So after that, there was silence between us once more … The stillness was only marred by the occasional rustling of the trees swaying in the breeze and the distant echo of a music being played somewhere while a car pass by every now and then. I directed my gaze at the darkness in front of me that was only slightly broken by the dim light illuminating from an old street lamp right next to the playground fence. After a while, I murmured absent-mindedly almost to myself, "I never had a chance…"

Kenshin looked up because of my sudden declaration, "Huh?"

"Aoshi," I answered him. "He's in love with someone else…"

I saw Kenshin look away. He didn't answer to anything about that for a while. But finally after a few moments of pensive silence, he queried in a low, gruff voice, "So this was all about him after all…"

I couldn't decipher Kenshin's tone. He almost sounded like he was…like he was…

_No, it couldn't be._

"How did you find out that he was interested with someone else?"

"He told me," I laughed bitterly. "Because I accused him of liking my mother."

He didn't answer._ Not that I expected him or wanted him to_. Right now I didn't want a conversation._ I just wanted…someone who'd listen to me_. And since I couldn't risk being seen with the only friend I ever had, Tomoe Yukishiro, and I couldn't possibly confide about this to my mom after our fight…then there was no other recourse but to seek out Kenshin. And as long as he was quite willing to listen, then I was just as willing to forget my hatred for him in the meantime as I pour my heart out.

I looked at Kenshin, eyes beginning to blur with tears once more. "I'm not expecting that he'll like me, much less fall in love with me," I bit my lower lip. "I'm not a fool to dream about something so farfetched. And yet…"

I turned away and uttered in a voice only ghosts could probably hear, "-And yet I couldn't help but hope just the same…"

I wiped my eyes before the tears could flow. Afterwards, I tried to get up to leave. But before I could do so, Kenshin was already standing in front of me. Startled, I leaned back in fright. His face was very dark and ominous for some reason that it frightened me terribly. But that was strange because he was not a threat to me anymore._ At least, not for this moment anyway_. So why did he have this look that always gave me the impression that I did something to displeasure him awfully and he was going to punish me thoroughly for it?

Kenshin stared at me for a few seconds before he finally spat out, "You're so pathetic!"

"Wha-?" I was momentarily at lost for words. But when I finally regained my voice, I quickly demanded, "What are you talking about?"

He crossed his arms to his chest and tilted his head down at me in a condescending manner. With one brow cocked, he told me in a sickened voice, "How so like you to waste your tears on something so idiotic!" He snorted in disgust and rolled his eyes at the same time after that statement. "What's so great about that bum anyway? Shinomori's just a loser!"

"Excuse me?" I shot him an angry look as I instantly got up on my feet to level with him. "What did you say about Aoshi?"

He leered at me to irritate me more, "He claims to be a rocker, a Goth or something equally stupid. But for me, he's just a wretched loser with major issues and a pierced forehead!"

I gasped, "How dare you! Take that back!"

Kenshin arrogantly ran his tongue over his upper teeth as his lips curled into a malicious sneer, "Or else what?"

I shoved him by his shoulder in response to his taunt, "-Or else that! Now take back your insults, you conceited pig!"

His jaw dropped in surprise regarding my defiant action. But his astonishment over my boldness didn't last. He was quick to regain his composure, and he returned the favour by pushing me back too, "Why don't you make me, Kamiya!"

My eyes narrowed and I tried to push him again._ Wrong move_. He easily sidestepped to his left, thus missing my blow, and grabbing my arm in the process. He pulled me towards him and wrenched my wrist to my back. Pain instantly shot out through my arm and I cried out.

"Not so brave now are you, eh brat?"

I struggled, but to no avail. "Let me go!" I rasped out. I winced when he only tightened his hold even more. "You psycho! LET-ME-GO-THIS-INSTANT!"

"Oh do shut up you little whiner," Kenshin scowled after I blasted him at such close range. And after saying this, I felt him let go of me and push me away from him. I had to put my hands out in front of my chest to prevent myself from falling face-first on the hard dirt. I coughed violently when I accidentally inhaled some of the sand and dust-_ did I mention before that I was allergic to dust?_

I tried to stand up, but then I realized that during my fall, my glasses got thrown off my face._ And as soon as I realized that, I panicked! _You see, with my extreme nearsightedness I knew I was literally lost without my specs. So instead of straightening up, I proceeded to go on my hands and knees, feeling the hard ground for my lost glasses.

"My glasses, my glasses," I was moaning while squinting at the earth beneath me in search of the said specs. "Where is it? Where is it?"

"Looking for this?"

I saw Kenshin's vague outline kneel down in front of me. His hand was waving something thin and wiry in the air, and even without seeing the item clearly I instantly knew that it was my pair of glasses. I tried to reach for it, but he easily waved it away from my outstretched fingers.

"Hey!" I cried out in protest. "Give that back you jerk!" I tried to lunge towards him, but he had put out his hand, blocked me by the face, and then veered my glasses further away. "Why do you always wear this ugly thing anyway?" he queried thoughtfully. "Haven't you heard of this convenient little invention called 'contact lens'?"

"What do you care?" I growled in response when I was unable to get past the outstretched hand that was blocking my way. "I like my glasses! So give it back already!"

"Why don't you just wear contacts?" he persisted. "It would look so much better on you, really."

"I don't want to!"

"Well, why the hell not?"

"Because I just don't want to! Now give it!"

I inhaled sharply when I heard the jagged sound of glass and plastic crunching against the gravel dirt. Through the haziness of my pathetic vision, I could vaguely see Kenshin's chucks crushing something thin and wiry on the hard ground. With eyes filled with disbelief, I turned to him and uttered breathlessly, "Was that my-?"

I saw him shrug. "You're better off without it, trust me."

For a few seconds, all I could do was gape at him incredulously, unable to believe that he had done what he just did. But when I finally regained my faculties, I let out an ear-splitting shriek and quickly turned away from him in an attempt to run as far away as I could from the redheaded freak. But of course, with my terribly limited vision, one could only imagine how far I got before I tripped on something crooked jutting from the ground and fell flat on my nose.

I sat up and tentatively touched my sensitive face. When I felt for certain that my nose and lower lip was bleeding,_ that was when all hell broke loose…!_

I felt Kenshin jog up towards me. "I tried to tell you to watch out but-"

The words were barely out of him when I jumped up and tackled his feet. That made him fall on his back, followed by the very satisfying sound of his pained groan when his back connected to the ground. I tried to sit on top of him so I could bash his face, but he recovered rather quickly from his spill and he stopped my hands before I could do some damage to that sickeningly-handsome face. For a few minutes, we struggled to gain the upper hand in this wrestling match, with me on top of him and him squirming under me to throw me off his body.

"You crazy woman!" he shouted. "Get the hell off of me!"

"You broke my glasses, you brainless jackass!"

"I did YOU a favour, you stupid, whiny brat! I told you that you're better off without it!"

"Oh yeah I'm certainly better! Thanks a lot" I retorted sarcastically. "My eyes are seething red so much that I can't think straight!"

I squealed when at last, Kenshin managed to overpower me. In one swift motion, he reversed our positions, and I soon found myself lying against the ground where he was positioned previously. I was about to kick him in his family jewels to make him get off me, but he was a smart one to pin down my legs hard with his own to prevent me from doing any damage that could cause him to be unable to produce offsprings.

After a few more minutes of useless struggle, I finally admitted to myself that I'm terribly, irrevocably and without a doubt beaten._ He's a man after all, and an athlete to boot. And me?_ I'm nothing more but a 90 pound weakling who avoided exercise or any kind of workout like I would avoid the bird flu. So I finally stopped struggling, and thankfully, and so did he. By then, we were both breathing hard as we stared at each other's eyes.

"Get off," I told him quietly.

"And what if I don't want to?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, but I didn't fight him off._ I was too tired for that._ "You're such a pervert," I said to him instead.

"Maybe," he grinned.

I sighed in exasperation. "I'm ugly remember?"

"No I don't remember. Particularly because I never said you were."

"You don't have to. I know it."

Kenshin rolled his eyes and slowly got up. He helped me up on my feet and dusted his pants afterwards, before he stage-whispered in a condescending tone, "Women!"

I was fixing my hair when his statement made me turn. I shot him a withering look and demanded, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means-" he angled his head arrogantly to the side. "-That women have this totally inane tendency to go around saying they're ugly just so they'd be complimented and be told otherwise."

It was my turn to cock an eyebrow at him. "Don't waste your breath Himura. I say it as it is. And if you think that I'm doing all this as just some lame attempt for an ego boost, then you're even more idiotic than I thought."

I turned away and started to stumble towards the playground gate; groping around the fence for a place that would lead me out. But just as my hand discovered an opening, I heard Kenshin call out to me, "Kamiya!"

I turned around just in time to see him jog up towards me. And when he was near, he took out a pristine-white handkerchief with a criss-crossed blue-stripes design from his pocket. As I was just about to wonder what he was planning to do with it, he suddenly trapped my chin between his index and thumb and pulled my face closer to him. My eyes widened and I tried to push him away in self-defence, but it was useless. He raised the handkerchief to my mouth and nose and I instantly got the sick notion that he was going to choke me with it….

Naturally, that notion only made me struggle more in his grip.

"Will you stop moving already? Your nose is bleeding!"

I stopped trying to push him away when he said this as I felt him tenderly wipe my nose and lips with the soft fabric. I inhaled deeply due to nervousness, and in the process, accidentally smelled the heady, masculine cologne that he always used That only fried my nerves even more. Though why I was so nervous, I'm not entirely sure of the reason.

As soon as he was finished, I took one, shaky step away from him so I could think properly without my thoughts being muddled by our extra-ordinary close proximity. Without meeting his eyes, I muttered, "Thanks…"

"Honestly," he was rolling his eyes as he stuffed the soiled hankie back in his jeans pocket. "You can be so scatter-brained at times. What you need, you pesky brat, is a keeper."

I narrowed my eyes at him and gave him a sarcastic, "Thanks loads Dr. Screw-up-a-lot. But I think I can manage just fine on my own."

"Oh yeah?" he was smirking now. "Well then, I guess you won't need my help getting home then, is that right?"

"Of course!" I answered quickly without thinking, even tilting my chin arrogantly at him. But when I turned around to show myself out of the playground, it only took me three steps before I almost fell once more against the wire-mesh fence because of my limited vision. The only reason why I didn't fall completely was because Kenshin was quick enough to catch me. He was laughing out loud now as he steadied me to my feet with so much satisfaction over my ineptitude that I couldn't help but blush fiercely with humiliation.

_But what else could I do?_ After the violet-eyed moron destroyed my glasses, I knew that there was no way I could get home without assistance of some sort. And 'lucky' for me, his was the only available help within a ten mile radius._ My life is really lovely…don't you agree?_

So gritting my teeth in annoyance, I let him hold my hand and guide me through the dark, familiar streets of my neighbourhood until we reached my house. And as soon as we got to the back door, I turned to him to say a hasty goodbye._ The sooner he was gone, the better for me._

"See you tomorrow." Then in a whisper, I added, "Not."

Kenshin smirked, obviously hearing my last statement. But he didn't pursue it, instead he asked, "How about a goodnight kiss then?"

As he said this, he leaned forward to do exactly that. But I was fast enough to put my hand on his lips and tilt back to avoid him. "Ah, ah, ah!" I cried out in alarm. I then hastily opened the lock with my house key and went behind the protection of the door to get away from him. Kenshin, on the other hand, was rolling his eyes over my reaction. "Well this is a really romantic parting," he grumbled out loud.

"Need I remind you that there is no need for these charades since there's no one around to see us?" I pointed out.

"Need I also remind you that we agreed to practice closeness even in privacy so that we'll get used to each other and not act like utter fools in front of everyone when the time arrives?" he retorted.

I sighed and stared heavenwards for redemption._ Somebody please save me!_

"Well?" Kenshin was waiting with one raised eyebrow. Finally, I breathed out in frustration and stepped forward to plant him the quickest kiss in history on his left cheek. When that was done, I swiftly returned to the safety of my house, with the door separating us, and told him pointedly, "Now good night Kenshin!"

I quickly closed the door behind me. But even with the closed door between us, I still heard Kenshin's joking voice as he hollered on the other side, "Goodnight to you too, whiny brat! I love you!"

I couldn't help but giggle after he said that. I don't know why but it just seemed so…_funny_! When a few seconds passed and I didn't return in kind, he raised his voice to tell me, "I'm waiting Kaoru!"

I rolled my eyes and opened the door just a bit to look at him. I saw him grinning that over-confident smirk of his as he stared at me expectantly. But strangely, I didn't take offence in his arrogance, and was in fact even more amused because of his facial expression.

"Well?"

_Practice_. I told myself._ This is for practice Kaoru, it means nothing._

"Geez Kaoru do I have to drag it out from y-"

"I love you too…"

It was so soft, so quiet that I wasn't sure that Kenshin heard it._ And I was right_. Kenshin frowned and bent forward near the small door crack to stick his ear near my lips. "What? What did you say? Speak up!"

I giggled and started to close the door on him, "I already said it Kenshin. Now good night…"

"That's so unfair!"

"So deal with it! And you tell me that I'm the whiner here."

I closed the door just as I heard him groan out loud. I leaned on the doorjamb as I listened to his footsteps that signalled his departure. A smile tore at my lips without me wholly realizing it, as I could still hear him grumbling outside as he left._ What is it with this guy that he can infuriate me in one second, and make me laugh in the next? _I should be angry with him for insulting Aoshi and breaking my glasses… But instead here I am giggling about our little exchange just moments earlier.

_Something was amiss._ Back then, everything was uncomplicated and in black and white._ I hate him and he hates me. He sneer, I cower. He laughs, I cry._ It should have been that easy and pretty straightforward. No complications. Simple as that…

_But now_, he laughs, I laugh with him. He teases me or infuriates me, I fight back. He tells me he loves me, and I say…

I felt my heartbeat hasten when I remembered his words. A strange, yet somehow familiar emotion enveloped me in a warm glow, but I couldn't name exactly what that sensation was. I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes in utter confusion.

_What's happening to me? _

I was thinking about this as I started to climb the stairs to my upstairs bedroom. I cautiously inched towards the door of my room and stopped to listen when I got near my mom's bedroom door. When the silence assured me that she was sleeping soundly, I proceeded to walk down the hallway.

But just when I was only a few feet away from my bedroom, I heard the eerie, creaking sound of a door being opened behind me…

_Oh no!_

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_**A/N: (stretches arms and cracks knuckles and joints in place) There you go folks! Another chapter finished! So Kaoru's starting to feel the first symptoms eh? But don't worry, she's not falling for him yet. But she is starting to get quite attached and attracted, don't you think?**_

**_And about the woman Aoshi is in love with…? Well, you guys will know next chapter, I promise. _(:D)**

_**And for reader shout-offs, my thanks goes to these lovely people:**_

toxiclollipop

ChildlikeEmpress

clamsofmacabre- _Well sorry to disappoint you guys, but Misao is not a major character here. She'll probably just have a cameo appearance every now and then._

vla1diva

bEaUtiFullYChAoTic

Payne N. Uranus

Sara-Chan 11

Anonymous

serlgee

Heidi19

skibz - _Hey I updated now. SO please don't die on me!_

Lady Dark Angel

Hikari-Kawaii

Green Animelover – _Err…What made you think that Aoshi fell for her? Enishi? Hmm…I haven't given him much introduction lately so what also made you think that he is-? But he IS a major character, that I can assure you._

Crystal Winds

Shinta-Fan

Momo-Chan1

kenshinlover2002 – _Errr…I think you got it wrong. It was Aoshi, not Enishi, who dropped by her house_.

blueangel-maggie1723

Pretty Sakura – _About whether Sano is attracted to Kaoru or not. Well, for now- the answer is no. But soon enough, you'll see… _(;P)_ And this will definitely have a happy ending! Yup, I love Fullhouse so much!_

Reignashii

Lendra-chan

Me – _Ei not to worry, this is KK all the way._

RoseoftheDesert

Dreycy-chan – _Aaahhhh…they're not falling for each other- YET. But they are getting pretty attached_.

abubi-chan

leo

princess-oro – _Lol! A blob voodoo doll? And don't worry about your art, mine is not too good either._ (:D)

Jamaican Insanity

hatami

luvHaru7

Kristy-chan

kitsune55

crasyducky

kina – _Aaahhh…well she is a good actress. But you have to understand the poor girl. I mean, after hating someone so intensely for your whole life then suddenly having to pretend that you love him…well…that's just too much for our heroine here. Also, about the cubicle part: She didn't climb or crawl out because she was quite confident that someone would eventually discover her. And another thing, the cubicle door is too high, too narrow and too long to climb or crawl out from._

Jool

celest4 – _Yeah I know its kinda clichéd. But I love cheesy clichés, so gomen!_

aoi senshi

wh00t – _Thanks for the multiple reviews_ (:D)

Kaoru4

_**Well hope I didn't forget anyone. 'Till next time then, ciao, ciao!**_

**_P.S. _Suggestions Wanted_! I'm not sure what stage play to use for this story. I don't want to use Romeo and Juliet because that's already so passé. So please, if anyone has any ideas, then just send them over via your review. It will be very much appreciated!_ (:D)**

_**P.S.S. Please read my profile for guidelines if you want me to review YOUR story.**_


	10. Aoshi's secret

**-Please read the author's note at the end of the chapter. Thank you!- **

**(;D)**

_**

* * *

**__Brrrinnnnggg! Brrriiiinnnnggg!_

I groaned and shifted in my bed to cover my ears with my pillow. "Five more minutes," I muttered as I tried to block out the incessant ringing of my alarm clock. I frowned, eyes closed, when the loud racket being made by the old-fashioned alarm bell wasn't bending to my will. Exasperated, I sat up quickly, took the alarm clock and send it flying to the eastern wall.

"You know it's only doing its job. And that's the fifth one in three weeks," a voice informed me dryly.

My mom was leaning casually against the doorframe of my bedroom door, already dressed for work. I grumpily kicked my sheets from my body and slipped on my soft, fuzzy bunny slippers. My hands groped the bedside table for my spare glasses that I laid out last night. I slowly slipped it on my nose the moment I found it, letting my eyes adjust for a bit at the brand new specs. My eyes were not opened all the way yet, but I still struggled to make my way towards the bathroom door. I felt my mom follow me, and it was all I could do not to roll my eyes at her.

"I wasn't able to sleep well last night," I mumbled softly to myself. "God! My head hurts…"

_And it was all thanks to the shocking information I discovered last night…_

"Kaoru, will you look at me when I'm talking to you!" my mother demanded sternly.

"Morning to you too, mom!" I grumbled sarcastically as I opened the medicine cabinet to take out my toothbrush. "Do I get a kiss with that?"

My mom walked towards my left side so that she could look at me in the eye. I lazily applied toothpaste on my toothbrush and started to raise it to my lips. But before I could do that, my mother stopped my hand in mid-air and forced me to face her.

"We need to talk," she persisted.

My eyes narrowed at her grip. "I'm going to be late," I told her pointedly as I tried to pull my hand free, but she wouldn't budge. "What?" I cried out in exasperation. "If it's the alarm clock you're bugged about then sor-ry," I rolled my eyes and twirled my index finger in the air. "I promise to replace it using my own allowance, happy now?"

"Don't get lippy with me, young lady. I have a bone to pick with you," my mother snarled. "I should punish you severely after that stunt you pulled last night."

"What stunt?" I looked away and grimaced at my puffy-red eyes and messed-up reflection in the medicine cabinet mirror._ Oh well, I never was miss beautiful in the mornings_. But come to think of it,_ I'm not exactly pretty girl in any other part of the day either_. It was quite a wonder that my mom hadn't noted my red-rimmed eyes yet.

"That thing with the Himura boy! And then that very rude comment at dinner." My mom finally let me go and was now tapping her foot in vigorous beats against the tiled floor. "I'm waiting for an explanation here Kaoru!"

I sighed wearily at this reminder, "Mom I…"

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_And so I'm grounded…_

My mom stormed out of my room, all ablaze with anger when I was unable to provide an explanation -or at the very least- offer a sincere apology or a promise to never to do it again. So just for that, I'm grounded until I'm forty._ Story of my life people._

I finished my morning preparations quickly and grabbed a toast for my meager breakfast on my way towards the front door. But I was stopped in my tracks while I was in the middle of crossing our front yard the moment I saw the big, bad, black Harley parked on our gate entrance. At first, I wondered to whom the big behemoth belonged to._ Then suddenly, something clicked…_

Something big and hard bumped me and I realized, rather painfully as I rubbed my left shoulder, that it was Aoshi who just passed by. He didn't say a word as he headed towards his monster of a motorcycle, with my eyes following his every move.

I felt a painful tug at my chest when I remembered the events of last night…

My breath was caught in my throat the moment Aoshi raised his eyes to meet mine, with his bangs falling haphazardly in every direction across his forehead and eyelids. Aoshi had a black sweatshirt on with a skull engulfed in flames printed in the middle. He was wearing a pair of tight, black pants that hugged and showed his hard, sculpted hips and legs, and a pair of heavy-looking, dark-green combat boots to finish the look._ Kenshin was right_, I realized._ Everything about him screamed Goth with bright, flashy neon signs_.

He looked as dangerous and as deadly as a coiled rattlesnake, with the ferocity and tenacity of a cunning tiger waiting to pounce. My heart picked up a beat; fear and admiration mixed in a tumultuous blend inside me. He was the stuff of sensual nightmares…dangerous and sexy.

_It was a wonder that I didn't melt right there and then due to the uncomfortable heat that suddenly enveloped me._

Aoshi's dark, stormy eyes gave away nothing as he tilted a pierced eyebrow in my direction. "Well what are you waiting for?" he drawled.

That stopped my sinful daydreaming for a few seconds and pulled me back to reality. My brows wrinkled in confusion at his statement, "What am I waiting what for? What are you talking about?"

He pursed his lips as he assessed my form. Suddenly, I was terribly conscious of the fact that I was wearing nothing more but a simple red t-shirt with a long, black stripe lined across the chest, a denim skirt that reached below my knees, and a boring pair of pristine-white rubber shoes. My hair was tied back in a tight and neat unmovable bun and the plastic frame of my new specs matched the colour of my t-shirt.

My look spelled 'dork' with a capital 'D'! And for the first time in my life_, I was ashamed of it… _

You see, even though Kenshin teased me a lot (rather nastily) in the past about my lame choice of outfits, I was never the one to be moved by his insults or dry commentaries. I always had been comfortable with how I dressed and carried myself. I couldn't care less about how people thought of me. After all, I was comfortable as a shadow; as an invisible wallflower. Better-looking clothes would only attract attention-_ and attention was something I avoid like the plague._

And yet…one look; just one look from Aoshi was all it took for me to fully realize and accept this one, grim fact.

I'm ugly._ And my clothes are not helping my appearance one bit._

I sucked in some air and fiddled with the strap of my backpack uneasily. I lowered my eyes to the ground, unable to bear the intensity of Aoshi's gaze.

_I'm ugly._

_I'm ugly._

_I'm stupid and ugly!_

"What? What did you say?"

My eyes quickly shot up to meet his when I realized that I unwittingly voiced out those last thoughts. Aoshi was looking at me with a confused expression. At this, I shook my head vigorously and stammered, "N-nothing. I didn't say anything."

He eyed me suspiciously and for a while I feared that he didn't buy my lie. But after a few seconds of pensive silence, he finally shrugged to dismiss the whole thing, and proceeded to put on his helmet as he uttered a low, "Whatever…"

I continued to stare at the ground after that._ I mean_, what else was there for me to do? Shinomori unnerved me with his cold demeanour, and his presence caused a deep ache in my heart._ And I am to suffer these tortures for the next few weeks that he'll be staying with us… _

I hate my life.

I heard Aoshi's movements as he gunned up the engine to life. "Heads up!"

I looked up just in time to catch the gray, shiny helmet thrown in my direction. I looked up at him quizzically and he answered my unvoiced question smoothly, "Your mom asked me to take you to school."

I couldn't believe my ears. "My mom would never let me ride a motorcy-!"

He shrugged again and leaned forward on his motorcycle. "Get on or I'm leaving you," he replied simply, voice detached and indifferent.

"But!"

I heard Aoshi exhale wearily before he got off his Harley. And before I could react, he walked up to me, grabbed me by the waist, and forced me down on the seat of his Harley. I was about to protest but my words were muffled when he forced the helmet down on my head.

His next words were, "Hold on!" followed by the sound of wind whipping past me. I screamed when I almost tumbled out of seat when he started to go without so much as a warning. So I had no other choice but to do as he instructed and hold on tight. I wrapped my arms around his slim waist -extra- tight while I gritted my teeth to keep them from chattering in fear.

My first ride on his motorcycle happened a few days ago, the night he came upon me after I escaped Tsunan's party. It was okay for my first experience on any two-wheeled transport system other than a bicycle.

_But_ today, my second time on his big bike gave me the impression that he was riding in a way that would make ten devils beg for holy redemption and promise eternal sainthood.

I bit the insides of my cheek to keep myself from bursting into tears due to the strong fear that gripped me._ He was riding like a maniac!_

And I probably knew why he was doing this.

_Aoshi was furious._

And the memories of what happened last night came to me in a flash…

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_Last night…_

I turned around to the sound of the creaking door, fully expecting my mom to come out of her bedroom and blast me. But much to my surprise, my eyes found Aoshi instead.

He looked equally shocked to see me, thus dismissing my initial assumption that he was lying in wait for me all this time. What's more, he looked like he was just recently out of the house himself and was about to return to his own room- very much like my position now.

_Which could only mean one thing_: he sneaked out of the house too and was obviously trying to hide the deed, based on the trapped look on his face.

The uncertainty in his expression only lasted for a mere second though. He was quick to compose himself and return to that grave, apathetic mask that he always wore. He mentally dared me to say something about the matter, and was found smirking slightly when I didn't rise to the challenge. After that, he entered his room and closed the door behind him without a word.

But in the end, my curiosity got the best of me, and in seconds, I found myself briskly walking towards his room. I didn't bother to knock and opted to push the door open without permission.

"What the hell!"

Aoshi uttered in surprise and anger when I caught him in the middle of spreading out small, plastic packets of powdery-white substance on top of the bureau desk provided in the guestroom. At first, my eyes only widened questioningly at the queer items lying about. But the answer quickly came to me when a certain lesson on illegal drugs education came back to my mind and when I noted the guilty and angry expression on Aoshi's face.

My hands flew to my lips in disbelief. I looked at him and uttered weakly, "A-Aoshi, is that…?"

"Get out!" his face was lined with fury. "Get out!"

I was shaking now as tears began to form in my eyes. I couldn't believe it!_ I WOULDN'T believe it!_ It was just not possible! Not Aoshi…not my Aoshi! Not him…not ever…!

I didn't realize I was hugging myself as an ominous chill ran up and down my spine at the alarming discovery. Aoshi moved forward to push me out of his room but I held onto his arms and wouldn't let go. I looked up at him earnestly as I blubbered over and over, "Aoshi's that's not what I think it is. Please tell me it's not! Aoshi it's not…you will never…it can't be what I think it is!"

His voice was strangled and pained, but he continued to push me away just the same, "Get out Kamiya!"

"Aoshi…" my tears remained at bay; unable to flow freely.

"Out!"

The door slammed on my face and I heard the audible sound of the lock falling into place. I stared blankly at the carved, wooden panel for a few minutes, dazed and shocked. For a while I stood there, unmoving and emotionless for a few fleeting seconds. Finally, my knees buckled under me and I crumpled to the floor in a pathetic heap, moaning like a child in pain.

_He can't be…he just can't!_

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

The memory ended as we arrived in the school grounds in good time, thankfully, without any collision of some kind. I didn't think it was possible, but he pulled it off. With his insane driving, I was really amazed that we weren't scratched or harmed in any way whatsoever.

My legs were still trembling as I shakily got off his Harley. I handed Aoshi his helmet back. But to my surprise instead of getting off, I saw him start his bike once more. He turned to me and lifted the glass visor of his helmet to give me a piercing glare.

I started, "What?"

"Kaoru you're a smart girl," he told me in a low, gruff voice. "I don't want to hurt you. But I will have no other choice if you cross me…. "

I instantly understood what he meant. "Aoshi I-"

He lowered the glass visor back in place. And before I could protest any further, he was speeding out of the school gate and towards the main highway. He was going so fast that he almost collided with an incoming red Mustang convertible. But with the precision and ease of a pro, he managed to swerve to the right and avoid a possible crash with the car.

The Mustang stopped in front of me and a perfectly annoyed and irate Kenshin Himura stepped out. "Who was that monkey on the Harley!" Kenshin was grumbling out loud. "He almost totalled my precious baby."

But I wasn't listening to Kenshin. My eyes followed the speeding Harley, and right there and then a plan hatched inside his mind. I went past Kenshin and strode over to the passenger side of his car. "Come on Kenshin we have to follow him!"

"Wha-! Follow what? Follow who? And we still have class!" Kenshin's brows were furrowed in confusion as he got inside his car. I buckled myself in and didn't bother to answer his questions. "I'll explain later! Please don't ask because I'm currently running on adrenaline right now. What's important right now is that we follow that guy's bike!"

"But school?" Kenshin was protesting but at the same time was already strapping himself in. He inserted the key in the ignition and started the car.

"Doesn't matter! This is too important!"

He eyed me quizzically after that. He knew that I was grade-conscious to the extreme level, and me skipping class was the second most impossible thing I'd ever do. The first impossible thing? Me falling in love with Himura of course, what else?

Kenshin pulled out of the school driveway and towards the main road. I only hope that I could still stop Aoshi from this whole mess before the whole affair blew out of control!

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

"Himura hurry up!"

"Damn it Kamiya! Do you think I want to be stuck in this traffic jam?"

I blew up some air in exasperation while Kenshin honked at the vehicles in front of us several times. There was an incident involving a broken stoplight just a few cars away from us, thus traffic came to a standstill and Kenshin and I got in the middle of it before he could backtrack.

_It was a hopeless case!_ Aoshi's big Harley was probably a good fifty miles away from us by now! He managed to dodge the traffic before he got stuck in it.

_And now it started to rain..._ I stared at the raindrops against the car window in defeat. There was no way I could stop Aoshi now. Everything was bleak…

I leaned forward and let my forehead rest on top of the dashboard. A sigh escaped my lips while a single tear slowly slithered down my cheeks and to the tip of my nose.

"Kaoru…are you alright?"

I didn't look up. But I shook my head to answer him.

"Who was that guy in the bike anyway? Why do you want to follow him?"

I raised my head and looked at Kenshin. I exhaled wearily and shook my head once more, "It doesn't matter Himura. Let's just…let's just go back-"

The words died in my lips and I leaned forward towards Kenshin's seat when I spotted something on his window side. I pushed him out of the way and squinted through the pouring rain that was blurring my vision.

_I couldn't be mistaken!_ Right there, in a dark alley near Kenshin's Mustang was the unmistakable silhouette of a motorcycle.

Make that a BIG motorcycle!

A BIG, BLACk motorcycle!

_Do I dare hope that it's a Harley?_ That it's AOSHI'S Harley?

Before Kenshin could stop me, I was already removing the seatbelt around me and making my way out. As soon as I got out of the car, the hard rain fell on me like liquid bullets against my small, unprotected frame- but I didn't pay any attention to this. Stumbling and slipping slightly due to the rain-slicked road, I unsteadily made my way towards the narrow alley and towards the bike. Once I was near, I let out a jubilant cry when I recognized it as a Harley-_ Aoshi's Harley_!

Now the question here was:_ Where's Aoshi_?

And through the low, hum of the falling rain, I was able to discern the distant sound of voices.

_Men voices…_

I looked around and saw what looked like an abandoned warehouse in the distance. And if I wasn't mistaken, the sounds were coming from within those crumbling walls.

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

"Fuck it Shinomori! Give us our money already!"

A green-haired, Mohawk stylin' teenager with more piercings on his topless body than Sahara desert has sand pushed the grim-faced, dark-haired Aoshi to the wall. He would have done more if not for a man's hand that restrained the Mohawk guy by the shoulder. A big, burly man with brown skin and shaved head held the green-haired kid to the side to keep him from doing anything stupid.

"Thanks Ram," a blonde man with slicked-back hair, pale, pasty face and long, thin arms stepped forward after the big guy contained the Mohawk boy. "Now, now Shiro. You wouldn't want ruin our friend Aoshi's face first before we get the money now, would you?"

"Shit Kohji!" the Mohawk teen by the name of Shiro spat on the ground. "I'd rather beat the information out of him."

Kohji, the blonde, tsk-tsked and wagged his finger in front of his pierced friend. "I'm sure Mr. Shinomori is a reasonable man Shiro. Remember what the boss instructed us." At this, Kohji dug his hands inside his slacks pocket and desperately tried to peer through Aoshi's bangs. But he found this task impossible since the latter was too tall for the former. Shrugging and finally giving up on that idea, Kohji backed away and addressed Aoshi, "If you just give us the boss' money Shinomori, then there won't be any need for Shiro to get all this excited you know. Shiro has been out to do some serious damage on that handsome face of yours ever since this woman he fancied dumped him for you."

Aoshi's gaze never faltered. No emotion was revealed as his lips moved to tell them, "I can't produce the money…"

"Oh?" Kohji raised an eyebrow. "And why is that so Mr. Shinomori?"

"Because I lost the stuff…"

The simultaneous reactions of the three goons were so identical that it was almost comical. Kohji choked on his own saliva, Shiro spat on the ground again and the silent Ram made a rough, gagging sound that could only be considered as a cough of disbelief.

"You didn't!"

"You cocksucking, motherfucker!"

A token grunt from Ram.

"My, my, this will not do," Kohji gave the Shinomori teen a look of pure disgust and hatred, his pallid complexion paling even more. "And to think that it was me who referred you to the boss. You do realize what you have done. Whether you've lost it or not, you have to pay it back."

It was only then that Aoshi raised his eyes to the three men in front of him. His expression remained blank, but his eyes were as stormy and as turbulent as the emotions running amok inside him. In a low voice, he told them rather simply, "I can't pay."

It was amazing how Kohji's amicable face metamorphosed to ugly fury at those words. Shiro was shouting that Aoshi will be the death of them. Ram released the Mohawk-haired boy so he could flex and snap his big, meaty knuckles in warning of what was to come.

"You know the only punishment in this organization Shinomori…"

Aoshi remained unfazed. It was as if he was made of nothing but ice. It unnerved Kohji that he couldn't raise an iota of any other reaction from the stone of a man aside from this cold indifference._ Even at the face of death…_

_Too confident_, Kohji mused. And confidence could only mean one thing…

_He was sure that he would win._

Ram and Shiro both produced baseball bats as they both started to advance at Aoshi. Shiro wasn't trying to hide what a big pleasure it was for him to finally have a piece of the arrogant Shinomori prat. "Any last words pretty boy?" the Mohawk kid sneered as he circled Aoshi in a manner very much like how a spider would circle its prey before it devoured the poor creature trapped in its web.

Aoshi followed Shiro's movements with an unwavering expression. He only cocked an eyebrow for a response, and for some reason that only irked the pierced kid even more.

Crying out, Shiro jumped, bat raised above his head as he prepared to land a blow. But Shiro was too stupid to realize how vulnerable his position was, with his arms and legs stretched away leaving his chest and abdomen open. And before he knew it, he was flying in the air once more. Only this time, it was caused by Aoshi's powerful high kick.

Kohji cupped his chin as he eyed Aoshi's stance._ A martial artist eh_, Kohji smirked. He felt the insides of his coat and the texture of a .45 calibre pistol with a silencer met his roaming fingers.

Kohji almost jumped when Ram landed on his feet. He was so engrossed with the feel of the gun inside his person that he didn't realize that Aoshi managed to K.O. his buddies in just two, easy strikes. Kohji held out his hands and clapped mockingly, "Bravo Mr. Shinomori! Bravo!"

He sidestepped his fallen comrade and slowly walked towards Aoshi. "You're fast sir, admirable!" his sneer was getting more and more deadly. "But let's see if you're fast enough to dodge a-"

Instantly, Aoshi felt that something was not right, and he took a step back from the small, pallid man who suddenly became threatening. His eyes widened when Kohji pulled out a gun from inside his coat.

Death was waiting for Shinomori, even _he_ felt certain of that. His life is one trigger-fire away now…

An angelic face flashed inside Aoshi's mind. Curling, chestnut-brown hair, warm smile, beautiful lips, sparkling eyes…

_Goodbye…Sayo…_

Aoshi was so intent at the gun raised in his direction that he almost didn't discern the female voice that screamed, "NO!" when the pistol was fired.

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

Kaoru didn't know how much time passed before she woke up. She didn't even know how she ended up in the ground, covered in a sticky mass of reddish-brown liquid. But as soon as she felt the stinging pain in her arm and saw the blood pooling beneath her body,_ then it all came back to her in a flash…_

She followed the sounds of voices and breaking wood. She opened the warehouse door that was, not surprisingly, unlocked and was instantly greeted by the sight of two men twitching on the floor in obvious pain, and a blonde man talking to Aoshi. Kaoru saw the small man approach Aoshi and pull out something that made her blood freeze.

The moments after that was a blur to her, though. But she did remember running towards them and leaping out just in time to catch the bullet that was intended for Aoshi's heart. At the reminder, Kaoru tried to sit up and search for Aoshi._ What if something happened to him? What if the man fired two shots and she wasn't able to shield him from the second?_

That idea instantly filled Kaoru with numbing dread and an overwhelming ache to the emotional level. So even though she was wracked with terrible pain, owing to the fact that the bullet grazed her nerve endings, she tried to crawl towards the spot where she last saw Aoshi.

She need not go far actually, because her eyes only had to roam around to find Aoshi on top of the small, blonde man-_ and he was practically beating the life out of the guy!_ Kaoru suddenly feared that if Aoshi didn't stop, he'd end up actually killing the blonde!

"A-a-a," she was too weak and filled with pain to even utter his name. Her eyes were slowly getting drowsy, but she fought vehemently with herself not to give in to the welcoming darkness that was slowly enveloping her. "N-n-no…"

"A-Aoshi…" she whispered in a raspy voice. "S-s-stop…!"

And then out of the blue, a hand reached out and clamped its brawny fingers around her neck! Kaoru found herself being lifted off her feet, followed by a voice that was so deep and gruff that one would think that the voice was not used in so many years, "Aoshi. Let go. Him. Kohji."

Aoshi was holding Kohji by the front collar when he heard the command. He turned towards the voice and he visibly paled when he saw the big hulk Ram holding Kaoru in a tight grip by her neck. And Aoshi paled even more when he noticed the large amount of blood flowing from her injured upper arm.

An unusual terror, nothing Aoshi had ever felt before, suddenly overtook him when he saw Kaoru's ashen face. Her glasses slipped off her nose and her hair was freed from her bun and was now in hopeless disarray around her shoulders. He instantly let go of Kohji as he stared at Kaoru's pained eyes. Hot blood coursed inside his veins as his heart started to beat a frenzied rhythm-_ the first time such a thing ever happened to him_…

Kohji, though badly beaten and bruised, was still strong enough to pull himself out of Aoshi's reach. And his cunning mind was still in good working order for him to realize that they may have just found a way to shake the imperturbable Aoshi Shinomori….

_His care over the girl was too obvious_, Kohji noted with great wonder. What's more, for the first time that Kohji had ever known the man, Shinomori looked…_desperate!_

"Don't let go of the girl Ram," Kohji shouted. The pasty-faced blonde tried to stand up on his feet, and only managed to do so halfway, albeit shakily. "Where is that stupid Shiro anyway?" he muttered out loud.

"Here!" the Mohawk boy responded as he slowly walked up towards the group. The boy was holding his left side and groaning, "Goddamn! I think the fucker broke my ribs."

"Shut your girly whining and help me find my gun. It got thrown off somewhere when Shinomori attacked me," the blonde growled at his friend. Grumbling, Shiro scanned the dirt floor of the abandoned warehouse and soon found the aforementioned pistol. Aoshi tensed, but he knew he couldn't do anything about the situation as long as the big gorilla Ram still held Kaoru in a death's grip.

Helplessly, he watched as Shiro made his over to Kohji and handed him the gun. And with Shiro's help, Kohji ambled his way towards Ram and the half-conscious girl. Smiling wickedly, Kohji motioned with his head for Shiro to take the girl and for Ram to step forward in Aoshi's direction. Then he turned to the dark-haired teen with a sneer lining his bruised lips, "You shouldn't have done that Aoshi. You really shouldn't have tempted our anger…"

Then, using the gun, Kohji pointed to the floor, "If you wish that we'll make your death swift and painless, you must go on your hands and knees and beg for it."

Shiro and Ram grinned, obviously liking the idea. But Aoshi didn't flinch from where he was standing. His cold eyes were directed at Kohji in unconcealed fury. At this, hot anger quickly seeped inside the blonde's head at Aoshi's insolence when the dark-haired teenager simply refused to bend to his will.

Kohji exploded, "If you won't bow down for the sake of your own life. Then maybe the lady here will be able to persuade you more into submission!" At this, he directed the end of the gun to Kaoru's head and motioned to pull the trigger. But he was abruptly stopped from pulling the trigger when Shiro inhaled sharply and muttered, "Hot damn!"

Puzzled, Kohji directed his gaze to Aoshi once more. And his eyes widened in surprise when he saw the sight in front of him._ For there he was_, the proud, unyielding Aoshi Shinomori, slowly bending down until his knees touched the dusty warehouse floor. He was looking, not at Kohji's surprised face or Shiro's smirk or Ram's wondering expression, but at Kaoru's eyes. They never broke their eye contact as he slowly went down on the ground. It was almost as if he was telling her:_ For you…I do this only for you…_

Kaoru's eyes were filled to the brim with unshed tears._ He would never have done such an undignified act if not for her sake_. He would rather die than shame himself by doing what his enemies wanted from him… Pain flashed briefly in Aoshi's eyes as his pride took a heavy blow, and his hurt was clearly communicated to Kaoru._ It felt like she was suffering with him too…_

She pressed her lips together and willed herself not to cry._ She had to be strong…_she couldn't let herself succumb to her own weakness. As Aoshi was being strong for her, so would she…

"Ram…kill him."

Kaoru gasped and the lumbering ape quickly stepped forward, armed with the baseball bat, ready to follow the command and beat Aoshi to death. She tried to struggle free from Shiro's grip. But the annoyed Mohawk boy only pressed his finger to her open wound to still her frantic movements._ And it worked_, for she was stopped by the nerve-wracking pain that shot out from her injured arm. The ache was so bad that it totally robbed her off any remaining energy she had left. So she ended up lying limp in the arms of the enemy, unmoving and totally defenceless.

At first, Aoshi didn't take that command too well either and he tried to fight back. But the clicking sound of the gun being cocked stopped him in his tracks. "Don't you dare if you want the woman to live through this experience," was Kohji's threatening remark.

Aoshi turned to Kaoru and the unusual fear gripped him once more. But this time, it was ten times worse because her eyes were closed and her face motionless. _They killed her_, was his first thought. Adrenaline began to pump furiously in his veins as fiery-hot rage blurred his vision._ They killed her!_

"Stop looking at us like that, jackass! The prissy little bitch just fainted. She's still breathing," Shiro informed him with a disgusted frown. For a moment there, Aoshi's fury when he saw the unconscious girl emanated so strongly from the dark-haired teen that Shiro felt ashamed for momentarily being afraid of him when they had the upper-hand over the situation.

"But not for long if you don't do as I say," Kohji pressed the gun to her temple. "Now stay put!"

Aoshi had no other options left. As he looked at Kaoru's face, fully devoid of any colour and life, he knew that he was defeated. So clenching his fist and gritting his teeth, he waited for the blows to come…

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

Kenshin was cursing under his breath as the police officer ripped up a piece of paper from his pad and handed the red-haired teen a violation ticket. For as it turned out, the moment Kaoru left and Kenshin tried to follow her, that was also the exact moment when the traffic jam cleared up. And as luck would have it, a police officer found his Mustang in the middle of the road, blocking traffic and instantly summoned him before he could enter the dark alleyway where Kaoru was headed.

After that, Kenshin was forced to find a place to park first so they could talk about his offence. And when that was achieved, he got an earful from the conservative, Born-Again police officer when the older man found out that he was just a high school student. He was saying something about the country going to the pits and that the people were all going to hell with the direction the youth were taking nowadays. Kenshin had to prevent himself from outright rolling his eyes at the man.

The ordeal took a good fifteen to twenty minutes too. And as soon as the officer was out of sight, Kenshin got out of the car and ran towards the alley. He soon found the Harley that they were following, but neither the rider nor Kaoru was in sight. Scratching his head, Kenshin scanned the surroundings for any place that Kaoru might have gone to. The alleyway led to a dead-end,_ so where could she be?_

And that was when he spotted an old, abandoned warehouse not too far in the distance. And the door was standing ajar,_ strange_…

Carefully, Kenshin made his way towards the crumbling, red-bricked building. And as he got nearer, he could hear voices from within. He pushed the door slightly to widen the space. And his eyes grew wide when he saw Aoshi Shinomori, battered and bloody right smack at the middle of that wide, spacious place. A big brute was beating him mercilessly with a baseball bat. And with the looks of it, Aoshi wasn't trying to fend of the attacks. He was just kneeling there, head erect, mutely receiving the blows._ Now how strange was that_? Kenshin wondered._ Why didn't he fight back?_

_Kenshin may not like the Goth punk very much_. But seeing that he was utterly defenceless and that he might be killed by the hulking gorilla, Kenshin had no other choice but to move in and save him.

But Kenshin froze when he saw that there were other people in the room. Not too far from where he was standing, a small, blonde man had his back turned to Kenshin. He was pointing what looked clearly like a gun on his right. Beside the blonde was a green-haired boy with a Mohawk hairstyle. And that weirdo seemed to be holding something against his chest, and that was what blonde boy was pointing at. Kenshin couldn't really tell what it was because both men had their backs turned on him.

_-Which could be an advantage… _

Kenshin crept towards the two with the ninja-like stealth he mastered due to the training he received from his eccentric, ex-convict uncle who was once a skilled swordsman. And as soon as he was near enough, he delivered a numbing chop on the gunman's nape and a high kick on the nose of the green-haired weirdo. The blonde quickly fell to the floor, unconscious, while the Mohawk kid got thrown to the other direction. Kenshin was about to retrieve the gun from the ground when he saw the bloody figure that Shiro dropped. He gasped when he recognized that it was Kaoru.

Instantly, he dropped to his knees and cradled Kaoru's lifeless form in his arms. He cursed repeatedly when he saw that she was losing a lot of blood- fast!

Kenshin pulled his left sleeves and ripped it up in one swift motion. He then quickly made a bandage out of it to assuage the blood flowing out from her arm. While he was doing this, he didn't notice that Shiro was slowly making his way towards him, a piece of a wooden plank in his hand as he inched forward. And just when the Mohawk kid was right on top of Kenshin, Kaoru's eyes fluttered open and she gasped out in alarm to warn him.

Kenshin turned around quickly, but not quick enough to deflect the attack. The wooden plank already swung low, Kenshin's nose was about to make contact with the weapon in full force when it suddenly stopped! Just like that, Shiro's blow halted in mid-air, just a few centimetres from Kenshin's face. Confused, Kenshin looked up just in time to meet Shiro's blank, dazed eyes. And after that eye contact, he fell to the floor, unconscious.

Kenshin's eyes widened with surprise as he watched the body fall right next to him. He was looking at the bump on the head of the green-haired teenager so intently that he didn't notice the other man towering above them.

"Aoshi…"

It was only when Kaoru whispered the name of the one who attacked Shiro from behind did Kenshin's head whipped around to look at him. Aoshi was a fright to see. Blood was dripping from the sides of his head and his left eye had swollen shut. With the beating he received, Kenshin was puzzled how the man could even stand, much less deliver a blow strong enough to knock out the enemy.

Kenshin then remembered the third man, the big, burly ape who was pounding Aoshi senselessly earlier, and quickly searched the room for his hulking form. He was able to spot the man easily, and he found that the big man was now slumped on the floor, very much as unconscious as his pals were.

As it turned out, Aoshi was only waiting for a chance or a reassurance that Kaoru would not be harmed before he retaliated. Kenshin's sudden appearance offered the diversion and salvation he needed so he landed two quick punches on Ram's gut before landing a blow on the big man's head. After that, he made his way towards the two and saved them just in time before Shiro could hurt the Himura kid.

Kaoru was not thinking about these things right now. All that mattered to her was the injured man standing in front of them. Kaoru tried her best to sit up as she whispered his name once more, "Aoshi…"

_It was as if Aoshi was only waiting for this before he finally succumbed to the darkness_. His face formed a gentle expression upon seeing that she was fine, and then his eyes closed and he slowly fell down. Kaoru would have screamed, but she was still too weak to do anything of the sort. It was just a good thing that Kenshin was there because he was the one who caught the dark-haired teen before his face could get acquainted with the hard floor.

Kaoru tried to come closer. Kenshin's brows furrowed with concern and confusion as he turned to her, "What just happened there Kaoru? What's the meaning of all this?"

She didn't answer. She kind of new what this was all about but she did not tell this to Himura.

"I gotta get you and Shinomori to a hospital. And I better get the police too while I'm at it," Kenshin started to tell her as he shifted Aoshi's body so that Kaoru could cradle him. At the mention of the word 'police', Kaoru looked up in alarm and cried out, "NO!"

Kenshin cocked an eyebrow down at her questioningly, "What are you saying?"

"No police!" she shook her head fervently, pulling Aoshi's unconscious head closer to her chest as if she was trying to protect him from some unseen threat.

"But why?"

"No police!"

"Kaoru-?"

"No police!"

Kenshin sighed. "It's going to be hard not getting the police involved here Kaoru."

She was shaking and holding Aoshi tightly against her. She was murmuring, "No, no, no," like a chant as she rocked her body back and forth.

Kenshin knelt forward and tried to touch her, "Kaoru…"

"No police!"

He exhaled wearily in defeat. "Okay fine! No police. But I'm gonna have to find someone to help me carry you and Aoshi to my car. We can't call the ambulance here because they're going to ask questions and will most probably call the police after seeing what happened here." his voice was gruff as he turned around to leave the warehouse and find the nearest telephone booth. And as soon as Kenshin exited through the warehouse backdoor, Kaoru hugged Aoshi as tenderly as her troubled emotions would allow her while a solitary tear slithered down her cheek.

_He was hurt because of her…_

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Kaoru was awakened by the hand that touched her right shoulder. When she looked up, she saw Kenshin smiling down at her. She smiled back and got up from the chair she was sitting.

"He's still not awake?"

Kaoru directed her gaze at Aoshi's sleeping form. He was sleeping soundly on the hospital bed even though he was probably uncomfortable with the neck brace he was wearing. Kaoru herself had her injured arm in a sling. But aside from a few superficial bruising caused by her fall earlier, she was fine.

"So when are you going to tell me what this was all about?"

She shook her head. "I don't know much either," she lied to him. "All I know was that Aoshi was hanging around with bad company so I got worried."

"Is that why you told me to follow him earlier?"

"Yes…"

"Are you sure you don't know anything else?"

Kaoru didn't hesitate to shake her head. At this, Kenshin discreetly returned the small, plastic packet of cocaine back in his pocket. He found it in Aoshi's Harley when Kaoru asked him earlier to place the big bike somewhere safe. He had a feeling that Kaoru knew about this little fact. But if she was adamant to protect him, then he had no right to pry. So he didn't.

His role as her boyfriend, after all, was only pretence.

_So if that was the case, then why was he getting so bloody irritated by Kaoru's care and affection for that Shinomori punk?_

"What time is it?"

Kenshin glanced at his wristwatch and informed her, "5:00. It's safe for you to go home now. By the way what are you going to tell your mom about your injury?"

"I'll tell her that on my way home there were some thugs playing with a gun and it accidentally went off when I happened to pass by. The suspects, of course, conveniently ran off before I could get a good look at them. I'll tell her that I already filed the complaint to the police so that she wouldn't get involved anymore," she replied with a straight face.

Kenshin sneaked a glance at her, quite surprised by her impassiveness. "So you're going to lie to your mom? Do you think she'll believe you?"

She shrugged. "Probably. The police believed me when I told them the same story, except for the last part of course."

"The police?"

"It is hospital S.O.P. to report a patient who is injured or killed with any type of firearm, you know." Kaoru opened the window blinds before she turned her attention to the flowers placed nearby. She sniffed one and removed it from the vase to hold it close to her face. "I also told the doctors that my parents were currently away on vacation, just so that they wouldn't try to call my house to inform my mom."

And then there was a knock on the door. Kenshin turned to the direction of the sound and walked towards it, saying, "Oh that must be Sayo. I called her earlier about what happened to her step-brother. His father and step-mother were out of town, you see. And I don't know anyone else with a close relation to Aoshi, so I called her."

"Sayo? As in Sayo Muto, the school soprano? Step-brother?" Kaoru stepped forward with confusion. "Aoshi is Sayo's step-brother?"

Kenshin nodded in affirmation as he opened the door. And he was right because it was indeed Sayo on the other side of the door, a worried expression on her lovely, angelic face. The newcomer quickly rushed to Aoshi's side and all Kaoru could do was gape when Sayo kissed him on the forehead and held his limp hand close to her chest.

She felt Kenshin's arm around her shoulder as he whispered, "Maybe we should leave them alone for now…"

Kaoru nodded absent-mindedly as she let Kenshin assist her outside. All the time as they walked away, Kaoru couldn't help but wonder where Sayo fits in Aoshi's life…_ And how many more surprises were there left about him that she was yet to discover._

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

"Will you tell me again why we have to leave them alone?"

Kenshin handed a Styrofoam cup filled with hot chocolate from the vending machine to Kaoru. He took the orange seat next to her and proceeded to drink the beer he got from another vending machine. Around them, nurses and doctors were busily walking about, looking at their clipboards and pushing stretchers towards different directions. The air smelled vaguely of anti-septic and medicine; and the lingering scent was making Kaoru ill._ She must remember never to put a medicinal course as her choice when she applies for a university._

A rather buxom nurse passed by and winked flirtatiously at Kenshin. He smirked and Kaoru scowled. His eyes followed the sexy nurse until she disappeared behind the double doors of the emergency room.

"Maybe I should consider becoming a doctor, hmmm?" he thought out loud.

She rolled her eyes at him, strangely annoyed, "Don't ask for miracles."

"Jealous?" he teased. That earned him a sarcastic smile before she turned her back on the arrogant redhead.

A total of ten minutes have passed since they left and Kaoru was eager to get back into the ward's room to be with Aoshi. So when Kenshin didn't answer her earlier question, she stood up and placed her untouched cup of chocolate on top of a nearby chair as she moved to go back to the room. But she hadn't even taken two steps when Kenshin's words stopped her.

"I think Aoshi would appreciate it more if they were left alone."

She turned to him and cocked her head questioningly. At this, Kenshin got up on his feet and threw the empty beer can on the nearest waste basket. Slowly, he walked up to her and assessed her face, testing the waters, before he decided to break it to her gently, "Aoshi is in love with Sayo."

Kaoru took a step back in shock. "What?"

"Sayo told us months ago that she wouldn't be finishing the school year here. She said that she'd be leaving for Europe anytime soon to realize her dream of becoming a world-class singer."

Kaoru was shaking her head in disbelief and confusion. "I, I, I don't get it!" she stammered. "What's Sayo Muto leaving the country have anything to do with you knowing for certain about Aoshi's feelings?"

Kenshin couldn't help but pity the poor girl in front of him. Her world was probably shaken to its very foundation when she found out that Aoshi was dealing with illegal drugs. And now her heart was crumbling in front of him as she was faced with another painful discovery.

He sighed;_ wishing he never had to tell her this._ He had kept this information from her for so many days now, just to save her the unnecessary heartache. But now, he was forced to inform her about this because Kenshin realized that it was futile to keep it a secret for much longer anyway. So Kenshin had no other choice but to finally let the cat out of the bag.

"Sayo told Tomoe -and she, being my girlfriend, told me- that when Shinomori found out that Sayo would be leaving the country soon, Aoshi instantly proposed marriage to her…"

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

I opened the door just a crack to peak in. And sure enough, I found Sayo sitting on the left side of Aoshi's bed as she parted his hair away from his face. I turned my eyes to Aoshi and saw that he was finally awake. But I felt my heart breaking when I saw something that I never thought he was capable of…

_A smile._ A full-fledge smile was etched on Aoshi's thin, pale lips. It was not just a shadow of a smile or a hint of a grin. Nor was it a smirk, much less a sneer._ It was real…_ And what's more, it held all the sweetness and the love that someone like me could only hope in heaven to be bestowed upon by him.

The smile on his face made all the difference in the world. Aoshi's face, always rigid or expressionless, was now radiant and blissful. His eyes, once dark and stormy, exuded only love, tenderness and affection now. It was like seeing the REAL Aoshi Shinomori for the first time.

And it was all because of Sayo…

'_I'm not interested with your mother because I'm already in love with someone else…'_

Thinking I've seen enough, I quietly closed the door and turned to Kenshin. In a voice barely above a whisper, I asked him, "Does she love him too?"

Kenshin hesitated. He knew that a confirmatory answer would only crush me more. But finally, he shook his head and uttered a low, "No…"

I guess with that answer, I should be happy and that my hope should be renewed by this piece of information. But instead, the pain I felt only intensified upon hearing this sad reality. And it was probably due to the agonizing fact that, I for one, knew how terrible it was to have your love unrequited and unreturned. So instead of being happy,_ I suffered more for Aoshi's sake._

"Is it because they are…step-siblings? Is that the reason why she doesn't love him?"

"No," Kenshin shoved his hands inside his pocket and sighed. He looked weary and sympathetic as he told me, "Sayo is in love with Sanosuke Sagara, that's why… That's the sole reason why she said no to his step-brother's marriage proposal. That, and the fact that they were too young and that she only thinks of him as a brother probably contributed some of the reason for her rejection too."

I coughed with disbelief, "How can she choose that chauvinistic pig over Aoshi?"

"Kaoru, I think you yourself should know more than anyone else that love knows no how's or why's," Kenshin thought it wise to point that out.

I groaned out loud. Holding my head, I pleaded to Kenshin, "Please take me home. I don't think I can handle any more of these surprises."

Kenshin nodded and led me towards the hospital parking lot where his car was parked. And as soon as I was seated, I closed my eyes tightly shut and wished with all my heart that there was a way for me to completely forget about this day…

_Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, anyone?_ I mused dryly to myself.

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**_A/N: Wow! A chapter of purely AnK interaction. So the secret is finally out, eh? Aoshi fans please don't clobber me because everything will be explained in the succeeding chapters. Aoshi is not a drug user here btw, just in case someone gets confused. And he's not a bad guy here, trust me! There's a reason why he's dabbling with these things and the readers will be enlightened soon enough, I promise! Also for AnK lovers, be assured that Aoshi would still fall in love with Kaoru eventually, ok? Sayo's character is just for good conflict. _(;P)**

**_And KnK fans, don't worry because these two will have more moments in the succeeding chapters. Especially since Kaoru practically gave up on Aoshi now, with him being in love with someone else and all. I hope you hang around for the next chapters for their cute moments together._**

**_Well I can't answer all the reviewer queries for now. But do please tell me what you think about this chapter and about this plan I have in mind. You see, all the suggestions given to me by the reviewers for the play that I will use in this story are all bloody good. But I can only choose one among these suggestions. But then, another reader suggested something unique. So please let me know what you think. Should I:_**

Use the play suggested 'Phantom of the Opera'? (thanks to BelleDayNight for the idea)

**or**

Create my own play? (thanks to Reignashii for this one)

_**I hope everyone gives me their feedback. Thanks to everyone who will give me their two cents worth about this one. So I guess that's all for now folks. 'Till next time, ciao, ciao!**_

**_P.S. I know I'm not supposed to…but I just have to respond to princess-oro here. Her review got me laughing and chuckling._ (;P)**

**_My answer: No, Aoshi doesn't have a pierced forehead. Pierced eyebrow, yes (Gawd! I love those on guys, looks hot on them!). Kenshin only said that because he was being inaccurate on purpose, just to irritate Kaoru. And to your other question, yes I like Sayo in the anime. But I don't like her with Aoshi of course. I like her more with Sanosuke. But I like Sano/Megumi pairings more than Sano/Sayo. I'm such a weirdo…(sweat drops)_**

_**P.S.S. The male villain in the story (Megumi being the female villainess here, obviously) will be revealed next chapter. Can anyone guess who? I'll give you guys a hint: he already appeared in this fic some chapters ago and was completely horrible. Can you guess now who he is?**_

**_P.S.S.S. Enishi will become more visible now in the next chapters. He will make the Kenshin/Kaoru/Aoshi dilemma so much more interesting, you'll see. _(:D)**

**_P.S.S.S.S. For IceAngelKaoru, I'm not going into detail about Kaoru's past with her dad. It will only be suggested every now and then, but don't expect a full retelling of her childhood memories anytime soon. Oh and Kenshin's parents died long ago and he's living with his eccentric uncle, Hiko. _**

_**P.S.S.S.S.S. Ate Gen, sa friendster ko na lang ire-reply yung suggestions and comments mo. Mahaba-haba kasi ang explanation and I'm kinda in a rush na.**_


	11. weirdness and questioned sanity

My mom wasn't home that night. I looked at the note that she left for me on the fridge door with a frown._ 'I'm staying overnight at the office to meet a deadline. I left you some tuna casserole in the refrigerator. Be good okay? And please check up on our guest and make sure that his needs are met. Thanks in advance. Love…Mom'_ the note said.

I sighed and crumpled the yellow post-it note in my fist before I tossed it to the waste basket. Well at least her absence saved me from the trouble of having to explain my current state and Aoshi's whereabouts._ But sheesh_, she really should start telling me her plans right at the very start, instead of informing me about these things at the last minute.

Grudgingly, I took out the casserole and placed it inside the microwave. After setting the machine, I strolled leisurely towards the living room and dropped my tired body on top of the soft, cushy sofa. I leaned back and savoured the comfort of finally getting off my feet after such an exciting day. I closed my eyes and almost instantly, I fell right into a light, restless sleep.

Just a few seconds later, I was awakened by the insistent sound of the doorbell ringing repeatedly, like the person outside was too impatient to get inside. Groaning, I got up on my feet and started towards the door. I fixed my expression to one of an angry scowl, ready to blast whoever it was on the other side of the door for disturbing my sleep. But as soon as I opened the front door, my face quickly metamorphosed to one from an annoyed glare to a look of utter disbelief and worry when I saw who the person was that was standing on our welcome mat. My mouth parted to speak but the person beat me to it by placing his index finger on my lips. Aoshi's dark eyes met mine as he began to talk in a soft voice, "I didn't want to stay in the hospital."

After uttering those words, he pushed me gently to the side to amble inside the house. I closed the door behind him and quickly rushed to his side to assist him, but he simply waved me away. "I'm not an invalid," was his gruff remark when I tried to help him up the stairs. That statement hurt, but I refused to be offended by his attitude. After all, he just went through a life-and-death situation today and I understand that he might still be in some sort of shock.

Though he refused my assistance, that didn't stop me from following him at a close range; just so I would be able to quickly help him if in case something was to happen. But once we got near the room he was currently occupying in our house, he suddenly turned to stab me with his infamous piercing stare. I took a step back in surprise, not realizing that the wall was directly behind me. So when Aoshi came near, I realized only too late that I was trapped! I held my breath in nervous anticipation as his lips began to move. In a cold tone, he asked me rather simply, "Why didn't you tell the police?"

"I…"

"I deal with drugs Kamiya…so why didn't you report me to the authorities? Furthermore, why did you save me?"

My throat went dry after that._ Oh my God_, there was no way I could explain it to him without leaving out one very important fact:_ that I was very much in love with him!_ Now I'm seriously wishing that my mom decided to come home instead of staying at her office so that she could have saved me from this confrontation.

_I was not ready to tell him how I feel for him!_

His right arm was now propped up beside me, further deepening my feeling of entrapment. I cast Aoshi an alarmed look, mentally begging him not to push the answer out from me. But my eyes only met his inscrutable, unforgiving stare in return.

"I'm waiting."

And then I knew, right then and there, that there would be no escaping this situation…_It was now or never._

I bowed my head in defeat. And in a voice barely audible even to my own ears, I whispered and finally told him, "Because I love you…"

"What?"

I raised my eyes now to meet his, slightly emboldened by my first declaration, so there was no hesitancy now as I told him plainly, simply, that: "I love you Aoshi Shinomori…"

I didn't know how he would react._ Would this be the first time that a girl confessed her feelings to him?_ Or would this be the hundredth or thousandth time that he got such an answer? I wasn't certain._ Don't get me wrong:_ I mean sure, Aoshi was terribly attractive and I'm positive I'm not the first girl to notice this. But the idea that other girls before me admitted their attraction to him was questionable due to the fact that Shinomori had this dangerous,_ don't-mess-with-me_ aura that most people are afraid of. Girls included.

Aoshi at first only gave me a tight-lipped glare. Finally, just when I thought I had to kick him on the shins just to get a reaction out of him, he suddenly turned around so now I was facing his back as he muttered out loud, "You're a fool…"

"What?" I was surprised by that response. He started to walk towards his bedroom door but I quickly caught up with him and grabbed his shirt sleeve. "What do you mean? Aoshi I-"

"Stupid little girl! You barely know me and yet you claim that you love me," there was a tone of disbelief and scepticism in his voice as he said this. "And after you found out that I'm criminal, you still had the gall to admit this to me. It's idiocy to the highest degree!"

I was stung terribly by that statement so I wasn't able to stop myself from snapping back, "That same idiocy took a bullet for you!"

"So we're counting good deeds now, are we?"_ was it just me, or was that a sarcastic sneer I just saw crossing his thin lips?_ "Do you expect me to feel so indebted to your heroism that it will make me start returning that affection you have for me, eh? Well for your information little girl, it was your fault I got in trouble with that group in the first place."

"Now how did I get-"

He interrupted me. "When you discovered me in my room with the drugs, I had no choice but to dispose of the evidence lest you go to the police and have me arrested. So if you wanted me to be grateful to you for saving me back there, well then here's my gratitude- THANKS A LOT!"

I willed myself not to cry after hearing such harsh words. He shook of my hand that was holding his shirt and proceeded towards his room. But before he could enter, he was stopped again when I started to speak once more, "I do not expect you to love me because I know you already care for someone else… Nor am I expecting for you to love me in return for saving your life. I don't want to judge you and your motives for doing this kind of things, and I'm not asking you to be grateful for that either… "

He didn't respond.

I looked up at him with despair now as I continued, "All I ask is for you to give me a chance to get close to you…to be your friend."

I waited for him to shout at me, or for him to tell me in that cold, grave voice that I'd have better luck wishing for the moon to turn into green cheese. But what he told me instead was something I never thought I'd hear from him for the life of me…

"You don't deserve me." Bowing his head, he added in a soft whisper, "No one deserves trash like me…"

I saw him turn around as he faced me fully. His eyes never left my face as he told me in a puzzled voice, "I thought you're in love with that red-haired prat Himura."

"I…"

I lowered my eyes to the floor as I was unable to meet his hard scrutiny._ How am I ever going to get out of this sticky situation?_ I couldn't possibly admit to him that my relationship with Kenshin was a sham to get our roles back in the school play just to prove my feelings for him._ Kenshin would never let me live it down! _

And then my dream…it's too important…I just couldn't-!

"Something smells like burning."

My eyes widened in surprise at his words and my head shot up as my nose detected the lingering scent of burnt food. It was then that I remembered the casserole in the microwave. Shrieking, I made a dash towards the kitchen to save what was left of my dinner, leaving Aoshi in the hallway as he watched me speed away with those enigmatic eyes of his again.

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"Hey Kaoru!"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But I'm really curious."

"Will you just drop it?"

"Oh come on!"

I halted on my tracks and turned around to give Kenshin an annoyed look. "My mom didn't come home last night, okay? So I didn't get into trouble concerning my injury—yet! Satisfied?"

We were currently walking down the hallways of Seirin High, like a pair of perfectly ordinary students who just didn't went through a life-changing experience yesterday. And as if nothing so special happened to us, Himura was back to being his annoying self by pestering me with his stupid questions.

"Boy, you're a bundle of good cheer today," Kenshin quipped sarcastically, nudging me with his elbow. "What gives?"

"Nothing," I replied in a low voice. "Look, I'm not really in the mood to talk right now Kenshin, so please…?"

We stopped in front of the door of my next class- which was Art Appreciation by the way. Before I could go inside, Kenshin's hand landed on top of my left shoulder. I raised my eyes questioningly at him at the gesture, "What?"

"About Aoshi…"

I bowed my head, "Let's not talk about him."

"Oh."

Thick silence followed after that. I fiddled with my backpack strap uneasily and started to speak, "So…if there's nothing else for you to say Kenshin then I guess I better get inside and-"

As I started to turn away and push the door open, I was stopped in my tracks when Kenshin leaned forward and held my jaw with his right hand. And in a move so unexpected that it completely took my breath away, he bent forward and planted a swift, soft kiss on my left cheek.

Our eyes met and he offered me a somewhat embarrassed grin. "I'll be seeing you after class then," he uttered softly.

I was shaken by the realization that, instead of slapping him, my first impulse was to smile back. I lowered my gaze in a pathetic attempt to hide the fierce colouring on my cheeks._ What was happening to me? What was happening to us?_ Two weeks ago, I knew that Kenshin would never, ever, EVER do something like this with someone like me! And two weeks ago, my first reaction to his every move would be either to burst out crying or to retreat in a corner and stew in my own misery, anger and humiliation.

Am I actually starting to grow…_comfortable_…with him?

_Or maybe I'm just deluding myself._ Maybe I was feeling awkward about the whole 'being-intimate-with-him' scenario, but that didn't mean that his reactions were the same. After all, he had more experience concerning women, while I have zip concerning the members of the opposite sex.

"I'll be going then."

I nodded and didn't speak, afraid that my voice would reveal to him how much that simple, chaste kiss affected me. And as I watched him walk away, I was suddenly overwhelmed by a strange void in my chest to see him go.

_What the heck was happening to me?_

"Free sample miss."

I whirled around and spotted a freckled-faced little girl standing right behind me._ Whoa! Where did she come from? Was she there all this time when Kenshin and I were talking a few moments ago?_

She read the wonder written all over my face but didn't bother to offer an explanation. Instead, she held up a cup filled with yellow liquid closer to my face. "Free sample, ane-san," she repeated. "We're making lemonades and we want people to tell us what they think first before we start selling our product."

"Who are you calling ane-san," I replied, a tad put-off with the informal greeting. "And sorry but I don't like lemonade. So now if you'll excuse me…"

I started to push the classroom door open, but the little girl suddenly barred the way with her small, puny frame as she batted her eyelashes at me, "Just a sip, please? So that we'll know if it's the right mixture."

"Look-"

"Pwetty puh-lease?"

I sighed in frustration and defeat. "Fine!" I said and grabbed the plastic cup without thinking, just to stop the kid from pestering me. I quickly drained the contents and grimaced._ I HATE LEMONADE!_ I coughed and handed the cup back. "Needs more sugar," I groaned, trying to get the sour taste out of my tongue. "Now leave me alone squirt!"

And with that I entered the classroom, still coughing out the taste of the juice from my mouth. It was then that I spotted Enishi Yukishiro at the middle of the classroom, obviously already at work with our painting assignment. We were the only two people inside the room since the class wouldn't be starting for at least twenty more minutes.

Our eyes met for only a split second before I quickly turned away. I was never really comfortable to be around my ex-best friend's twin brother. I didn't know why, but even back then when we were children we never talked much. He was always aloof with the other kids and was only close to his own twin sister. That's why it was really kinda surprising that he ended up being best friends with someone like Kenshin Himura.

As I settled in front of the canvass stand right next to the window, I had this uncanny feeling that I was being watched. I sneaked a peek at Enishi's direction but found him still hard at work on his own piece. I decided to shrug off the feeling and focus instead on setting up my own canvass so I could start on my project.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust at what I have drawn so far. I was no Van Gogh or any of those famous artsy guys, that's for sure. But I knew my art teacher wasn't going to take that for an excuse once she saw my lame illustration. The assignment for this week was to draw -using whatever media we were comfortable with- the first thing that could arouse intense emotions from you. I tried to draw a mask of a happy face and smiling face, depicting theatre acting (my dream). But lately, my feelings were being troubled by something (or rather someone) else for me to completely focus on my picture. All I've done so far was an outline of a mask and a stage at the background.

I was taking out my graphite pencils with much difficulty from my bag (due to my arm injury) when number two on my list of most impossible things to happen in my life suddenly occurred…

"So you're Kenshin's new girlfriend, eh?"

I almost stumbled over my canvass in surprise when Enishi suddenly spoke up to me._ Over-reacting?_ Not when you knew Enishi Yukishiro the way I did! I turned to my right where he was still painting, undisturbed, as I squeaked out, "Excuse me?"

"I heard Kenshin Himura dumped cheerleading captain Tomoe Yukishiro for someone named Kaoru Kamiya. And since you're the only girl I know who possesses that name in Seirin High, well..."

His tone was calm, devoid of any feelings as he uttered these words. Embarrassed with my own outburst, I looked away and answered him, "And what if I am?"

"Why?"

"Why what?" I was starting to get annoyed. "Why Kenshin would choose someone like me over someone as beautiful and as popular as your sister, huh? Is that what you're trying to point out?"

He continued his smooth brush strokes, his eyes never leaving the canvass as he decided to ignore my question. After a while though, he finally answered me in what I surmised was a bored voice as he continued to paint, "My sister loves him. I don't think you do… Do you?"

_No! _"What do you think?" I queried back instead.

"That wasn't a proper answer."

"Well that's too bad," I replied smugly. "Yours wasn't a proper question either."

Silence reigned between us for a while. And just when I was starting to relax and assume that there won't be any more inquiries coming from him, he started to speak once more, "And when exactly did you realize that you love him?"

"I know that everything happened so fast, but-"

"Precisely!" finally, Enishi averted his eyes away from his painting to face me. "You two hated each other for more than ten years already, and then all of a sudden, you guys are together. Kamiya look, even YOU must admit that this whole thing sounded too…_bizarre_ to just be accepted by the people who knew your long history with Kenshin."

"I'm not forcing you or anyone else to believe it! Whether you choose to accept it or not is no problem of mine!" I couldn't keep the temper out of my own voice anymore._ But underneath the guise of anger, I was secretly shaking with fear, worry and uncertainty._ If Enishi wasn't convinced about my relationship with Himura, then that that could only mean one thing: that Kenshin and I weren't doing a very good job making people believe that we were in love._ And that couldn't be good!_

"But why?" an indiscernible emotion flashed beneath his turquoise eyes as he asked me this. "Why would you love someone like him? He made your life miserable for so many years, don't you remember?"

"Of course I remember!" I choked out as memories of Himura's cruel jokes and tricks came back to me in an instant. "I hated him! I hated him so much!"

"Then why would you fall in love with him if you hated him THAT much?"

I turned away, unable to respond. But Enishi stepped forward and forced my chin in his direction. My eyes locked with his as he repeated urgently, "Why Kamiya?"

"I don't know why you're being meddlesome!" I cried out defensively when I wasn't able to think of an answer. I stepped away from his grip. "It doesn't concern you how it happened, ok? It just did!"

He didn't react immediately after that. Slowly, he told me in a dead-serious voice, "I worry about Tomoe…"

It took me a moment for his words to sink in before I started to grab my art materials and began stuffing them back inside my bag. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and walked towards the door. But before I exited the room, I threw him one, last scathing look as I went, "Look, I know that you care for your sister Tomoe. So if you have some unresolved conflict with Kenshin for choosing me over your sister, then deal with it! But kindly leave me out of it, ok?"

My hand landed on the doorknob. But before I could turn it and push the door open, my vision suddenly swam before me. I held my forehead as I was suddenly besieged by dizziness while I tried to keep my balance.

"Kamiya you're injured," Enishi spoke up when he finally noticed the bandage on my arm. But I was unable to answer him as the wooziness slowly got worse. "Kamiya?"

_Enishi's voice sounded so far away_. Groaning, my eyes fluttered close just as I saw him run up to me when my knees gave way and I succumbed to the overwhelming darkness that awaited me…

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_Tsunan didn't know what to think._

"Well?" Megumi purred beside him. They were currently standing just a few feet away from art room and the sight that greeted them was something the man didn't expect.

Megumi turned to the freckle-faced little girl standing beside her and gave her a thumbs-up, "Good work kid."

"Where is the money you promised!" the little girl whined.

"I already sent for it. Now scram brat!"

Their companion paid them no heed, still watching the hallway where the subject of his interest was slowly walking away. Enishi came out of the classroom just a few seconds ago. But that wasn't what caught Tsunan's attention._ It was the spectacled face of the girl Enishi was carrying in his arms that got him!_ Megumi had to nudge him hard to snap him back to reality. Seeing the questioning look written all over his face, Megumi sighed and decided to answer his unspoken query. "That's Kenshin Himura's new girlfriend; the very reason why I called you here."

He cursed. "That's the girl who conked me out on my party!"

Megumi's brows rose in surprise. "You mean that Kamiya is the girl you've been talking about that gave you that nasty bump on your head?"

But Tsunan wasn't listening to her anymore. Carrying his trusty camera by the straps, he started to follow the pair._ There was something really fishy going on here._ And as the chief editor of the school newspaper, not only was he obligated to report the facts, but now he also saw an avenue of opportunity to exact his revenge from the prissy little bitch who almost gave him a concussion some nights ago-_ and do it in a completely 'journalistic' way too._

"But what about the favour I was asking from you!" Megumi hollered at him as he sped off.

"I'm on it!" was his echoing reply.

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I really didn't know how long I remained unconscious. All I knew was that I was slowly awakened by the soft, cool sensation of something being pressed on my left cheek and forehead. Slowly, my eyelids flickered open and the first thing I saw was white.

"Ah back to the world of the living I see," a friendly voice chuckled somewhere inside the room. A hand holding a wet towel retreated away from my line of sight and I quickly concluded that it was the hand of the person who just spoke up.

"Don't joke about something like that Soujirou, please?" I groaned, recognizing the owner of the said voice as I turned away from the beige ceiling of the school clinic. I tried to pull myself into a sitting position but almost gasped out loud when a pair of strong arms slid underneath me to help me in that task. My head whipped to my left and fierce colour quickly invaded my cheeks when Enishi met my gaze head-on.

"What happened to you back there Kamiya?" he asked without missing a heartbeat. "You just fainted."

I held my temples and felt a slight fuzziness still inside my head. "I, I, I don't know what caused me to pass out …" I answered him weakly. "All of a sudden, I just felt like the world was moving and then I blacked out."

"Must be something you ate." Soujirou walked up to me, a perpetual smile plastered on his thin, boyish lips. I managed to grin back feebly. Soujirou was from my math class and happened to work as an assistant nurse in the school clinic._ Something I ate?_ All I could remember was that horrible lemonade I drank earlier. I ate a piece of toast for breakfast this morning and burnt tuna casserole last night._ So what caused my sudden wooziness?_

Maybe I'm just anaemic or something…?

I was still mulling over that when Soujirou came up to me quite unexpectedly. I looked up, startled, to suddenly see his face just a few inches away from mine. "Er, y-yes can I help you with something?" I stammered, perturbed by the way he was staring at me.

"Ah…well…" Soujirou started to scratch the back of his head sheepishly. "Kamiya-san, I was just wondering if…"

He let the statement hang in the air and I had to prompt him to continue when he refused to speak after a few minutes. "If…what Soujirou-san?" I urged.

Soujirou started to chuckle nervously. "Well, it's okay if you're gonna say no, but if, well, just in case you're interested…I was wondering if…"

I almost rolled my eyes at him._ Why couldn't he just blurt it out?_ "Soujirou…!" I prodded, my voice slightly tinged with irritation now. At the corner of my eye I saw Enishi's expression darken, but I didn't pay much attention to this.

"Ah well," he hesitated. "I was wondering…well…that is to say…if…you know…you'd like to…well…come to the **'SwingBeat'**…uhm you know…with me?"

"SwingBeat?" I scrunched up my face in an attempt to remember what kind of event that was. Soujirou saw my puzzlement and quickly explained that it was a charity dance to be held by the student government to raise money for future school projects. It was a retro party so students were required to dress up in whatever oldies outfit of their liking.

I was stopped after that (rather awkward) explanation. And then after the initial shock was gone, I started blushing uncontrollably due to severe discomfort and the way Soujirou was staring at me so expectantly as the realization sank in. HE'S ASKING ME OUT!_ This is the first time a guy actually asked me out and I'm so totally freaking out here!_ So I guess there was some truth in Himura's words when he teased me a few days ago that Soujirou had a crush on me…

_What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?_ A part of me wanted to say 'yes', but the other part wanted me to turn him down…! Okay, don't get me wrong here but it wasn't like Soujirou was bad-looking himself or anything like that. In fact, many girls find his gentle aura and smiling face quite charming._ But…_

"I…"

"Yes Kamiya-san?" he looked up at me with eagerness clearly etched in his childish features. I swallowed uneasily upon seeing how much he obviously wanted an affirmative answer from me.

"She can't go with you."

Soujirou and I both turned our attentions to the one who just spoke. Enishi casually raised an eyebrow in my direction as he leaned back on his seat, his left feet propped up on top of his right knee and his arms folded close to his chest. After that brief stare-off, his bored eyes rolled over once more towards Soujirou's direction as he repeated his statement in an off-handed tone, "She's not going with you."

"Excuse me?" Soujirou's brows were furrowed together now. "But why are you answering for her? It's not like you're her boyfriend or something."

I saw Enishi's left eye twitch slightly after that remark, but didn't know what to make out of it. "No I'm not…" he conceded in what almost sounded as a grudging voice (though I really couldn't be sure). He directed his turquoise eyes at me once more as he slowly told Seta-san in a triumphant tone, "But that doesn't mean that she's not already taken, you know."

I paled and Seta quickly averted his attention to me, a worried line creasing his brow as he asked me hesitantly, "Y-you are not taken already, are you Kamiya-san?"

I secretly threw Enishi a burning glare after this. But he only lifted his left eyebrow down at me in response; a challenge for me to discredit his declaration. I looked at Soujirou's puzzled expression and couldn't suppress the sigh that escaped my lips._ First time a guy asked me on a date and I had to turn him down- yurgh!_ I didn't realize that I was making funny faces as I mentally debated with myself and only stopped when I realized that both Soujirou and Enishi were throwing me strange looks.

"Kamiya-san?"

I was just about to open my mouth to speak when, all of a sudden, the door slammed open and a flustered Kenshin Himura rushed inside. He was coming in so fast that he almost tripped over a chair that was conveniently standing in his way. But with the athletic grace that was expected from a jock like him, he managed to swerve away just in time to dodge the four-legged item. And he did it so comically too that I wasn't able to stop the giggle that escaped from my lips because of the funny way he jumped sideways to evade it. As soon as he straightened himself up, he casually walked over to my bedside and smiled sheepishly in silent apology over his crazy antics. He looked so adorable when he gets all embarrassed and stuff that I couldn't help but grin back in a way that mentally told him that I didn't mind.

"Hey," he combed back his hair with his fingers but some of it escaped his hold and a few strands of hair were left falling across his eyes and left cheek. "I heard you were sent to the clinic so I quickly rushed over here. Why? What happened?"

"Uh…"

I almost squeaked out in surprise when Kenshin parted my bangs as he pressed his palm on my forehead. He bent forward to look at me closely until our noses were just a few centimetres away from each other. "You're kinda warm. Are you developing a fever?" he asked.

His nearness was wreaking strange, unexplainable confusion with my senses and I tried to stop it. I inched away and avoided his hand as I whispered, "I, I am fine. I just, I just-"

"She needs room to breathe Mr. Himura."

Kenshin turned to the small kid who addressed him and quickly recognized him as Seta Soujirou, a classmate from math class (the three of us were in the same class). He cocked a questioning eyebrow down at the nerdy pipsqueak who was still smiling at him as he queried rather offensively, "What the heck are you doing here Seta bozu? Getting some growth pills or something?"

"Kenshin!" I frowned at his rudeness.

"I work here Himura-san." Soujirou didn't seem to be the least bit angry at being called 'bozu' when he was of the same age as Kenshin's, or the fact that he was indirectly teased for his small stature. "Part-time of course," he decided to add as an afterthought. "And Kamiya-san is here because she fainted earlier. But she's looking fine now."

And after this statement, Soujirou resumed his place beside me and gave me another one of his endearing smiles. "Well Kamiya-san, will you? Not that I'm rushing your decision or anything, it's just that-"

"Uhm…Seta-san…"

"Will she what?" Kenshin suddenly interjected. "What are you guys talking about?"

I sucked in my breath and quickly stole a glance at the redhead standing next to the small teen. A glare was now marring Kenshin's handsome face as he tried to analyze what Soujirou was trying to tell me._ I didn't want Himura to ruin this moment for me!_ To finally be asked out by a member of the opposite sex was one of the things that I never thought would ever happen during my teenage years! Not that I spent half of my puberty years obsessing about boys and dating. But I'd be lying through my teeth if I didn't admit that things like this were really…_flattering_…for a girl. But now, I couldn't very well accept Soujirou's offer and at the same time still be able to keep up the charade that Kenshin and I were madly in love now, could I?

_There was no way this situation could end favourably for me…_

"Well Kamiya-san?"

"What are you-"

I sneaked a peek in Enishi's direction and saw that he was staring at me –_RATHER_- intensely as he too waited for my answer. Unnerved, I quickly looked away only to be greeted back by Kenshin's bewildered scowl and Soujirou's hopeful grin.

"I." I started to rub the base of my neck, feeling an incredible dryness reign inside my throat. Unexpectedly, I sat up and cried out, "I…I…I need to go to the girl's room!"

And before any of them could react, I was quickly out of the bed and went straight for the exit door.

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

"You're so weird. Why did you just run out of the clinic like that?"

Kenshin opened the car door for me as I got out. I looked at my house and noted that it appeared empty. It was 5 o'clock in the afternoon and I knew that my mom probably wasn't home yet due to her workaholic nature. Also, it seemed that Aoshi was not home either, though I didn't see him around school today._ So where could he be?_

"Hello! Earth to Kaoru! Is anyone in there?"

"Oh," I started. I shifted my weight to the other foot as I looked at Kenshin. "Sorry, I kind of zoned out there for a bit. What were you saying?"

Kenshin sighed and shook his head. "Never mind. I might as well just get going before your mom catches me here with you." At this, Kenshin began to walk back towards the driver side of the car. But before he could get inside, a thought suddenly occurred to me and I called out to him. "Kenshin!"

He turned in my direction and cocked his head questioningly. "What?" he asked.

"Ummm…" I began to fidget around anxiously. "Kenshin…umm…like, do you have any plans this Friday or something?"

"Huh?"

My face started to redden uncontrollably as I pursued the idea that came to me. "Er…well…what I'm saying is that there is this event on Friday that I think-"

"Oh yeah!" Kenshin's face suddenly lit up and he snapped his fingers in acknowledgment. "Thanks for reminding me Kaoru! I was just about to ask you to-"

I held my breath as I anticipated his next words._ 'This is it, he's going to ask me out on our very first date as an official couple,'_ I thought. I blushed even more when I realized that I was starting to get excited. He came running up to me, and when he was near, he held my hands close to his chest. My throat went dry and my heart started to beat a crazy rhythm as he stared at me deeply with those lavender eyes of his.

"I know this is asking much," he started in an almost breathless voice, "But considering the situation -OUR situation- then I guess I'll just have to go through with this." Taking a deep breath, he pinned me down with his gaze once more as he began to speak. "Kaoru I want to ask you if you w-"

"Yes. My answer is yes Kenshin."

He seemed surprised at this as he angled his head back in wonder. "Really? But I haven't even told you what I was about to-"

I freed my hands from his grip and raised my right hand to interrupt him. "I know this is an embarrassing moment for both of us," I said to him in a whisper. "But it has to be done. So let's make this as painless for both of us as possible, okay?"

Kenshin's lips started to form a wide grin. Without warning, he suddenly gave me tight hug and planted a quick kiss on my right cheek before he broke off and started to go back to his car. "Thank you so much Kaoru! I knew you'd understand," he told me. "And I promise that there won't be any screw-ups!"

I was still slightly dazed by that second kiss that I wasn't able to reply immediately. When I finally regained my faculties, I couldn't help but grin too in return, "I hope so…"

"Tomoe was right when she told me you'd understand. You're pretty okay after all, Kamiya."

I turned away in embarrassment over his praises, "Yeah, yeah of course I'm okay and-" I was stopped when I realized that there was something amiss in his statement. Slowly, I returned my gaze towards him and asked, "Did you just say Tomoe told you?"

Kenshin was still grinning as he answered, "Yeah, Tomoe. And I guess I should've listened to her. I worried for nothing you know."

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" I began waving my hands in confusion. "Worried about what? What are you talking about Himura?"

Kenshin was beginning to look bemused now. His brows were furrowed together in uncertainty as he informed me, "I was worried that you won't let me go with her to Okinawa this Friday. Her parent's silver wedding anniversary is on that day you see. And…umm…her parents knew me pretty well and Tomoe told me they'd be disappointed if I didn't come. So-"

I started to exhale in disbelief as Kenshin continued his explanation. "-And since her parents live all the way down Okinawa, then I thought that they're not included in this whole pretence thing that we're doing, right Kaoru? And you don't have to worry about Enishi finding out either. He's not coming to Okinawa due to some complications that he needed to fix with his English subject grades."

My eyes turned into slits and I nodded my head in affirmation, but refused to say anything.

"I'm really relieved that it's okay with you Kaoru," he was smiling again as he said this. "I didn't know that you already knew I was planning to ask you this. Did Tomoe tell you about it or something?"

I pursed my lips and gave him a sarcastic look, "And how do you suppose we'd be able to do that, I ask you. You know very well that Tomoe and I can't be seen talking with each other since she's supposed to pretend that she's angry with me or something."

"Huh?"

"Oh I give up! You're hopeless!" I snapped out angrily. I turned on my heels and began to walk away. I felt Kenshin follow me and when he was near, he held me by the arm to stop me in my tracks. I looked down at his hand on my arm and hissed, "Let go."

"What is your problem Kaoru? What are you PMS'ing about now?"

I rolled my eyes and gave him a mocking look once more, "I am not PMS'ing, you ass! I don't care if you go with Tomoe this weekend. Go have fun screwing each other's lights out in Okinawa or whatever, I don't care! Now let go."

I jerked my arm away and started towards the front gate once more. But just before I entered the yard, I heard Kenshin mutter out loud, "What's the matter with you Kamiya? It almost sounded like you're jealous or something…"

That made me whirl around and face him. "I'm not-!" I started but was interrupted because of my own rising temper. I tried to find the words to throw him off and wipe away that infuriating smirk that was beginning to curve on his mouth again. And just when I was about to give up, I suddenly remembered Soujirou's offer earlier, and slowly, I started to grin as an idea began to form inside my head.

After all_…I haven't refused him yet, have I?"_

"You know, if you're so jealous then I guess I can probably talk to Tomoe about staying and-"

"Please!" I interrupted him. "Don't start inflating your head with your own breath Kenshin. It doesn't matter to me if you go with your 'ex-girlfriend' this Friday okay? Because as it just so happened, I have plans of my own too you know."

"Plans?" he scoffed. "You have plans? YOU? Ms. Anti-Social herself? Yeah right!" Then with a sneer, he added, "For your information Kaoru Kamiya, sorting out your encyclopaedia set on a Friday night isn't called a 'plan' you know."

I shrugged nonchalantly, unperturbed by his sarcasm. "Suit yourself," I replied coolly. And with that, I turned on my heels once more and headed for the front door._ And just as I expected_, Kenshin's own curiosity got the better of him and he couldn't help but ask out before I closed the door behind me: "And exactly WHAT are your 'plans' for this Friday, hmm?"

I grinned inwardly with triumph when I saw how Kenshin's face fell when I told him in an unaffected voice that: "I'm going to the 'SwingBeat' this Friday with my date. And I'm going to have so much fun for sure, particularly because you're not going to be there. So have a safe trip, 'k?"

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**_A/N: I'll be replying to reviewer queries through the 'reply' system of Fanfiction-DOT-Net now, okay? So I suggest those who have a question to please log-in or apply for a membership first. Well that's all for now I guess... So ciao to all of you nice people out there and have a happy new year! _(:D)**


	12. who's going with who

"Chipmunks are not supposed to do that."

"Like, you know, this totally cool Prada like gosh-"

"Oh man, there goes my lunch…"

"So by separating the electrons from the-"

"Heads up!"

I ducked my head just in time as an orange Frisbee whizzed past while I was walking down the school hallways on my way to my first class. I mentally tried to remember what day it was in my head and finally recalled that it was Friday. Well that certainly answered why the students are running around like they were just injected with an extra dosage of Amphetamine today._ Weekend party fever._ Everyone was obviously psyched for the retro-theme dance party tonight. Wish I could join the festivities- not! I'd much sooner soak my head in a vat of boiling oil than go along with these hormone-driven monkeys in their strange, libidinal rituals that almost all teenagers have the weird compulsion to go through with.

And now after years of avoiding all these madness and chaos, I, Kaoru Kamiya, had no other choice but to willingly participate in these stupid, teenage rituals called a party tonight_: and all because I couldn't keep my ef-ing mouth shut_!

I slapped my forehead in agitation as I remembered the event that transpired yesterday. I shouldn't have told Kenshin about the 'SwingBeat' bash. I shouldn't have taunted him that I'd be going with a date. I shouldn't have snapped at him for wanting to spend some time with his REAL girlfriend… But most of all, I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT I WAS GOING TO THE STUPID EVENT AT ALL!

I was walking with my head bowed down, just the way I always walk, grumbling about my life and the cruel world I inhabited when I suddenly bumped shoulders with someone and I felt that same person shove me roughly away. "Watch it creep!" was the high and shrill command coming from a strawberry-blond girl with an amazing tan. I muttered my apologies without looking up and quickly resumed my humble trot towards the rows of lockers. I stopped in front of one and was in the process of turning the combination when a memory suddenly stopped me in my tracks. With a groan and another slap on my forehead, I remembered that my 'new' locker was the one further down the hallway- Megumi's locker. Normally, the memory of Megumi's nasty attitude would have been reason enough for me not to go within a ten-mile radius from that locker. Unfortunately, my fear for my first period teacher, Prof. Shougo Amakusa, was greater than my fear of an encounter with the green-eyed vixen. So with a sigh of frustration, I shifted my backpack on my left shoulder, directed my gaze on the floor and started to walk away. But I barely made three steps when a shadow landed on my face and I saw a pair of Chuck's blocking my path.

I looked up and couldn't suppress the groan that slipped out from my lips when I saw who it was. Sanosuke Sagara grinned, showing a set of pearly white teeth, when he noted the look of despair on my face. "Good morning to you too, kitten!" he greeted jovially, which was a stark opposite of the cold reception I offered in return.

"What do you want?" I asked as I sidestepped to get past him.

"Whoa! Where's the fire? Wait!"

Sano grabbed my arm to stop me. That earned him an exasperated look, followed by a sharp, "I'm gonna be late, so will you just-?"

"Are you going with someone at the 'SwingBeat' tonight? Because if you're not, then I'm thinking that maybe we-"

I was shaking my head, not really hearing him, muttering under my breath as I checked my watch every five seconds or so. The school bell was going to ring any moment now and I still haven't gotten my books. I couldn't afford to be late in Prof. Amakusa's class._ I just couldn't!_

Absent-mindedly, I started to walk away from Sano. I heard him call out to me just before I rounded the next corner, "Hey, I was asking you if-"

"Yes! Yes! Whatever!" I hollered back. "Just leave me alone!"

I was only dimly aware of what I answered him. But at that moment, I would have said anything just to get him off my back.

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The day progressed along quietly and peacefully for me- which was something I should be glad of, right? But something was amiss no matter how hard I tried to ignore it. I tried my best not to think about or brood it, but soon my curiosity got the best of me and I just had to do something to satisfy it.

After lunch, I watched Tomoe until she separated ways with her friends because her next subject was at the other end of the building. Silently, I followed her until she stopped for a drink in front of a drinking fountain. When she stooped down, I hastened my steps and just as I passed by her, I dropped my voice into a whisper and told her, "Ladies room, urgent."

I was already a few feet away by the time I felt her straighten up to look for the bearer of the message. I didn't turn around to see if she got my message clearly. But that was soon answered when I entered the girl's lavatory and after just a few seconds, she followed suit.

I pretended to fix my hair, as if there was something wrong with it (which was a laugh because I always tied my hair back in a -_very_- tight bun or high ponytail) as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Tomoe, on the other hand, pretended to check for an available cubicle and when she found that all four were empty, she then proceeded to lock the comfort room door before standing beside me.

Tomoe smiled at me through the mirror, that dazzling smile of hers that got her toothpaste commercial offers in the past (she turned them all down), before asking, "So what's with all this 'cloak-and-dagger' stuff? What's so urgent?"

"Cloak and dagger?" I raised an eyebrow.

She looked slightly amazed, "You don't know? It means sneaking around and stuff."

_That wasn't totally correct._ But I let it go at that. "I just want to ask you why Kenshin is absent today…that's all. That is, if you know. If not then…"

There, I got it off my chest. Embarrassing as it was, I did it and now if only Tomoe would stop looking at me with such bafflement and confusion like I just sprung up two bull horns at the middle of my forehead then I could stop fidgeting around like a deer caught in front of the glare of the headlights.

"Well he told me yesterday that he's going to do some investigating today," Tomoe finally shrugged it away after a while and retrieved her compact from her purse. She dabbed some powder on her face as she eyed me critically through the mirror. "He was really angry yesterday when he called me up. Do you know why?"

_Kenshin was angry?_ "How the heck should I know?"

"Did you two fight again yesterday?"

"We're always fighting Tomoe."

She was now in the process of re-applying her lipstick. "True," she conceded after she smacked her lips together. "But you have to admit that for a week now you two are getting along quite nicely."

"That's because we have to pretend that we're nice to each other, or have you already forgotten about the Mr. Okina's condition?"

"Oh?"

Tomoe took out a tube and squeezed a little dot of red liquid on both of her cheeks. She then started to spread the colour evenly on her skin with her fingers. "So…I heard you're going out with someone at the 'SwingBeat' tonight? Care to tell who."

My eyes snapped up in surprise to meet hers. But it didn't really take me very long to realize how she could have known that piece of news. "He told you yesterday, huh?" I queried.

Tomoe shot her reflection one last appreciative once-over before she faced me fully. For a while, the sight of her beautiful face knocked my breath away. But admiration quickly simmered to grudging envy, and it ate away inside me. She was grinning and I looked away, disgusted that even after all the years that I've known Tomoe, her stunning looks still had the ability to put me in a bad mood. Being with her always made me conscious of how plain I looked.

Don't get me wrong though_…I mean, I know I'm not THAT hideous to the eyes._ But next to her soft, bouncy hair, full, red lips, alluring eyes and knock-out body, I know I'm downright ugly.

I adjusted my glasses over my nose, having the urge to do something with my hands lest I grab the nearest item next to me and bash my face with it.

"So who's your date?"

"I'm not going."

"What? But Kaoru-"

I shook my head and stepped away from her. "I just said that to your asshole of a boyfriend because he was irritating me again."

"No, no, no Kaoru!" Tomoe followed me and grabbed my hands. She squeezed it encouragingly and looked deeply into my eyes with such extreme childish eagerness that it was almost infectious. "You have to go to the party! You just have to!"

I pulled my hands back, quite weirded out by that strange twinkle in her eyes. "And I'll do that because…?"

"Kaoru, don't you see? It's a wonderful idea!"

"What?" I gave her a confused look. "Was that supposed to make sense? Because if so, then I think you lost me."

"Kaoru you have to go with this mystery date of yours! It's the perfect situation, don't you see?"

"No I don't. Tomoe I can't possibly go with someone else because people know that Kenshin is my boyfriend or have you forgotten the plan already!"

"Of course I haven't!" she snapped her fingers in front of me. "And that's exactly why you must go because your appearance with another guy will surely bring up some controversy! Oooh Kaoru," and at this, she grabbed hold of my hands again and started swaying it. "I've already thought of everything when Kenshin told me about your date yesterday. You just have to go along my plan, see?"

"Actually I still don't see what-"

"Kaoru," Tomoe stilled her movements and her voice dropped to a serious tone. "Trust me on this: if people still have doubts about you and Kenshin, then after tonight it will all change."

At this, my eyebrows drew together and I suddenly became suspicious. Cautiously, I extracted my hands from Tomoe's hold and whispered, "EXACTLY what are you planning anyway?"

Her smile, often charming, now turned sly as she winked conspiratorially at me and started for the door. "Just be there Kaoru…and don't forget to bring your date, okay?"

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

It was the end of another day and students poured out of the classroom with a loud cheer of joy and happiness as they looked forward to the party tonight or to whatever weekend activity they have lined up. But as others pushed around and hurried others just to get out of the classroom, I for one chose to lag behind. I organized my books, notebooks, pens and papers in neat piles and groups before placing them carefully inside my backpack. I was just about to zip up my bag when a voice suddenly spoke up to me, "They call that an obsessive-compulsive disorder in medical terms, you know."

My eyes shot up to see a tall, narrow figure leaning on the classroom doorframe. I squinted and adjusted my specs to see who it was, but with no luck._ I simply didn't know the guy._

Long, black hair and a hard, mean mouth were his most distinguishing features as he walked up to me. He seemed familiar…but I couldn't place where or when exactly did I meet him._ Was he in one of my classes or something?_

He towered above my seat and smirked when he saw the uncertainty (and maybe even fear?) on my face. "Neat, prim and tidy," he said as he took note of my features. "A proper lady, eh?"

There was something sinister about him that sent chills down my spine. A certain kind of fear gripped me unlike anything I've ever felt before. I was familiar with fear you know, having been scared of Kenshin and his bullying all my life._ But this time it was different._ Kenshin may be mean, but not once did he ever made me feel like I was truly in any physical danger of some sort- I realize that now._ But with this stranger standing in front of me it was different._

I only felt this kind of terror once before:_ and that was at the party I went to almost a week ago when a drunken moron tried to drag me away so he could do things to-_

I was stopped when everything clicked and the memory of that night came flooding back inside my mind. With a nervous gulp, I finally remembered where I've seen this stranger before…

Tsunan sneered when he saw the recognition finally dawn upon me. "Nice to see you again," he drawled out. He was too close now. "I believe we have some unfinished business since last time we met."

I stood up abruptly and tried to escape. "Excuse me but I'm in a hurry."

I gasped when I felt his hand clamp tightly around my left arm as he pulled me back towards him. With a muffled scream, I slammed onto his body where I stayed as his other hand snaked around my waist to hold me even closer in a tight grip. "Oh but we haven't even talked yet," he leered menacingly. "There's so many things that I want to tell you, you know? And for starters, I want to thank you for this!"

At this, he tilted his head in an angle where his hair parted away from his forehead to reveal a small sutured wound near his right temple. I looked away, realizing that the cut was at the exact spot where I hit him with the beer bottle nights ago.

"You left your mark on me," Tsunan hissed as he forced my chin to face him once more. "So I'm sure you'll agree that it's only fair that I return the favour…"

And after saying this, he dipped his head and I felt his lips on my left ear. I started to breathe raggedly with dread as I tried to struggle free from his arms. "Please let me go," I whimpered. "I-I-I'm sorry about y-your wound."

I froze with horror when his teeth grazed the sensitive skin of my ear. With a sudden surge of panic, I realized what he intended to do in 'leaving a mark' on me so I struggled even more even though I knew it was futile. "Please, please," a tear started to fall from my eyes._ Oh dear god what have I done to deserve this?_ "Please let me go."

Suddenly, there was an abrupt sound coming from behind him followed by the unmistakable smell of cigar smoke wafting in the air. At this, Tsunan jerked his head up and looked around to search for the source of the smell. He didn't have to look far though because his eyes instantly landed on the doorway and I held my breath when I saw the familiar features of silver hair and turquoise eyes of the man looking directly at us._ I'm saved!_

Enishi took a long drag from the stick fixed between his index and middle finger before he uttered, "Tsunan…."

"Yukishiro," Tsunan addressed back warily, his hand still clamped tightly around my arm. "What are you doing here? The school has strict rules about smoking you know."

Enishi carelessly dropped the cigarette to the ground and grounded it out with his boot. Afterwards, he started to walk toward us, his gaze never wavering as he looked at my captor. He only spoke again when he was right in front of us, "I have a message for her."

There was a cold edge in his voice as he said this that made me shiver even though I knew his icy demeanour wasn't directed at me. Tsunan narrowed his eyes apprehensively and his grip relaxed a bit without him knowing. I took this chance and quickly wriggled free from his hold. Grabbing my backpack, I hastily scurried to Enishi's side and took shelter in his grim, but nonetheless comforting, presence.

Tsunan was obviously trying to think of a way to get rid of Enishi without the situation ending up in an actual fight, knowing that defeat on his part was imminent if that happened. "We were just talking," he grumbled at the stony man in front of him. "And it's really quite important so if you don't mind-?"

Tsunan stepped forward to reach me but Enishi quickly blocked his way. He then turned to me and asked, "Do you want to talk to him?"

My answer to that, of course, was an emphatic shake of my head.

Enishi turned to Tsunan with an indifferent expression. "That's decided then."

And with that said, Enishi Yukishiro took hold of my elbow in a surprising gentle manner as he steered me toward the door. We kept on walking until we've reached the school parking lot. And when we finally did stop, it was only then that I realized that I was shivering very badly with aftershock.

Wordlessly, I watched as Enishi removed his varsity jacket and draped it over my shoulders. It felt like being smothered by a tent because the jacket was so big. But soon enough, I grew comfortable inside it and I slowly started to relax. I inhaled deeply to calm myself and my nose was greeted by the lingering scent of Enishi's aftershave.

The whole time that I was calming myself down, Enishi never spoke a word to me and I appreciated his silence, feeling myself too weak and vulnerable to voice out anything. The only time he actually stated something was to ask me -rather brusquely- if there was anything else that I needed to help settle myself down.

I smiled sweetly regardless of the clipped tone he used. Enishi Yukishiro was not used to showing compassion- I knew that; so I didn't begrudge him even if his expression of concern was kind of curt. "Thanks but I'll be fine."

He stared at my smiling face for a bit longer than what was comfortable. I started to fidget uneasily under his stony, passive gave, but he did not say anything more after that.

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

I got out of Enishi's blue Porsche after he parked his car in front of my house. I turned to look at him and smiled again. "Thanks for everything," I said. "I owe you big time…"

He didn't trouble himself by looking back at me, his eyes only staring straight ahead. And for some reason, his indifference bothered me more than I'd expected or ever cared to admit. When seconds stretched on and I received no response, I closed the passenger side and wordlessly started to go. But before I could take even one step away, I heard the car door open followed by the sound of hasty footsteps behind me. I whirled around and saw Enishi only a couple of inches away with a folded piece of paper in his hand that was stretched out towards me.

I hesitantly took the paper and read the few short lines printed in it. It was from Soujirou and it was written there that he couldn't go to the party tonight with me. I was puzzled because he didn't provide any explanations whatsoever about his sudden withdrawal. And it puzzled me even more why he even bothered to write to me about it when we had no spoken agreement that I'd -_actually_- go with him. Regardless of what Tomoe was planning, I was still dead set on not going to that party!

I looked up and was quite surprised to see Enishi still standing there. And though his eyes never gave away any of his feelings, I could sense that he wanted to know what was in the letter.

"Soujirou gave this to you?"

"No. Kenshin did."

It was my turn to look confused.

He read the unspoken question on my face so he added, "But he told me that if you asked, I was not to tell you that it came from him and that it was from Seta-san instead."

_What!_

I almost choked out loud after hearing that, eyes wide like saucers with surprise._ Now why the hell would Kenshin do that?_ It just didn't make sense! But then again, after pondering the question over and over in my mind, I began to sigh in frustration and understanding when the obvious answer came to me-_ Did I really have to ask?_ For as long as I've known that red-headed jerk, nothing he ever did gave me the impression that he was the type of guy who gave his actions a thorough thought before executing them. Nor did he give a damn about how others would think or react to his activities, regardless who the person was_. He did things purely because he wanted to do them- 'nuff said._

"If that's what he instructed you to tell me, then why tell me the truth instead?"

"I never said to him that I'd do exactly as he told."

"Ah."

I looked at the letter in my hand once more and sighed. All that I could surmise from this was that he obviously didn't want me to go to the party so he wrote a fake letter telling me that the guy who invited me couldn't make it. How he found out that it was Soujirou who asked me out and why he even cared to do this when he should be busy getting ready to go to Okinawa- that I couldn't figure.

_But those things didn't matter anymore…_

I tossed the paper behind me and started to run towards the door, ignoring Enishi completely. In my mind, I was already taking a mental inventory of my mom's old clothes that would be suitable for the retro party…

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

"Coming!"

I almost stumbled and fell on my feet as I hurried down the stairs to answer the door. But before I opened it, I paused for a minute to pat my hair in place and to straighten out my dress. I felt silly for suddenly being conscious of my appearance after so many years of simply ignoring these girlish practices. And it wasn't like I wanted to impress Soujirou or anything._ I didn't want him to get it inside his head that I wanted him in the same way that he wanted me._ Oh sure I was flattered when I found out that someone with my plain looks could be liked by a charming boy like Soujirou. But that didn't mean that I'm so desperate for love and attention that I'd instantly jump in a relationship with the first boy that would show an interest in me.

I called Seta-san a while ago to tell him that I'm accepting his invitation (thank God for directory assistance) but only got his answering machine. Still, I was (unnaturally) optimistic enough to just (naturally) assume that he got the message and that it was him buzzing my doorbell at this very moment at the other side of the front door.

_Well the fates humbled me once more with the surprise I was about to get. _

As I opened the front door, never for a second did I doubt that it was Seta Soujirou standing outside, dressed in a theme-appropriate clothes, ready to bring me to what I hoped would be a less-disappointing party experience compared to the one I went to a week ago.

The key words here being:_ 'never for a second **did** I doubt…'_

So imagine my surprise when I opened the door and my jaw fell as I blurted out-

"What are you doing here?"

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

**A/N: _Not much of a cliff-hanger there since if you read the story thoroughly then you probably already know who it is. Oooh…a chapter without Kenshin. But that's alright because there'll be nothing but KnK interaction on the next instalment. And more about Aoshi will be revealed too, so stay tuned!_ c",)**

**_P.S. I noticed that my stories lack a disclaimer SO I don't see why I should break tradition by ACTUALLY putting one. It's not like people will ACTUALLY start believing that I'm the owner of the anime Rurouni Kenshin just because I'm so good (-author puts up metal barricade in anticipation of rotten eggs, cabbages and tomatoes-) and that I make money out of typing my silly fantasies and having other people read them. I may be a pyromaniac nut-job at times, but I'm certainly no Nobuhiro Watsuki_ (:P)**

**_P.S.S. Please make me happy and go read "The Miscreant and the Wicked" by lawless. She's really great but she doesn't seem to be getting the number of reviews she rightfully deserves. It's a Megumi-Sanosuke fic so hardcore fans of canon pairings sure won't be disappointed. She's also a Filipina btw so I implore fellow pinoys to support her_ (;D)**

**_P.S.S.S. Sorry for the awfully long delay because reality's obligations (as usual) became a hindrance. But since summer vacation is coming up then expect faster updates. Thanks for the patience, luv you all!_**


	13. guidebook to predictability

"What a lame costume?"

I ignored the not-so-discreet insult tossed my way when a group of girls passed by me. Instead, I continued to gaze at the cup of fruit punch held in my hands with such intensity that one would think that I'm looking at the secret of youth in its depths or something. I heard them leave, but I knew that this won't be the last time I'd hear a nasty remark coming from anyone.

"What a gawd-awful dress!" I heard someone utter, with exaggerated tone of incredulity ("gawd"…?). "Where did she get that garbage?"

Again, I let the scathing remark pass over my head as my eyes never broke contact with the swirling orange liquid in front of me. When the catty girl who delivered the statement saw that I wasn't budging with her…_cruelty_, I heard her huff snootily before turning on her heels and leaving me. I was about to sigh wearily when my breath paused in mid-exhale as I felt an arm drop over my shoulders none too gently.

Looking up, Sanosukue Sagara grinned cheekily down at and nudged me with such a force that almost toppled me over. Thankfully (or maybe not) his arm was still lying heavily on top of my small frame so that embarrassing situation never happened. But looking up queasily at those pair of coffee-brown eyes staring back at me gave me the very distinct impression that I would have been better off getting acquainted with the floor than being –THIS- close to him.

"Some party huh?" his cheeks were flushed and he was obviously having a blast.

"I guess," was my disinterested reply. I raised the plastic cup to my lips and sipped sparingly. I didn't want to run out of punch, thus losing my only reason for not raising my eyes from my drink.

"What are you doing just standing next to the buffet table? You should try dancing, talking, mingling. You know, the fun stuff."

I shook my head dispassionately. "Not gonna happen. I don't do-" I wrinkled my nose in distaste before ending, "-fun stuff. That's not me."

"So what, you're just gonna stand there all night? Won't you be bored?"

"It doesn't matter." And in my mind I added,_ 'I won't be here for much longer now, anyway…'_

Honestly, I couldn't figure out why I agreed to come to this stupid 'SwingBeat' event in the first place! I didn't want to be seen wearing my mom's seventies dress, didn't want to be with this arrogant jerk who thinks that anyone who's wearing panties would instantly fall in love with him…and I most certainly didn't want to be insulted by some nasty bitches all night long_- all because they still couldn't get over the fact that I'm currently the girlfriend of the most popular and most loved jerk in school_; and incidentally, right at the moment, currently dating the second most popular asshole in Seirin High.

Why did I even agree to come with Sanosuke anyway? I hate the guy's overbearing arrogance, for Pete's sake! And I'm supposed to be Kenshin's girlfriend so why am I jeopardizing my chances at the school play by risking it and going out with this spiky-haired monkey?

_Because Tomoe told you to come with a date, that's what!_ I replied my own query inside my head. And as much as it galled me to even be seen with Sano as my date, my curiosity over Tomoe's supposed plans apparently won over my deep aversion for the man. I originally planned to go with Seta-san but since he didn't reply to the message I left on his answering machine hours ago, and since Sanosuke Sagara was already at my house wearing a grunge ensemble and carrying a bouquet of daisies promptly offered to me the moment I opened my front door earlier, then I had no other choice…

"So you want to just stand there and do nothing, huh?" Sano scowled. "I don't think we're thinking in the same wavelength here. You see, I always make sure the girl I'm dating with is having fun."

I rolled up my sleeves and looked at the time._ Quarter before nine._ I swear if Tomoe didn't arrive within the next ten seconds, to hell with her plans because I'm not going to suffer Sagara's company for one minute more! "That's sweet. But really, I'm doing just fine being ignored and vice versa. So just go ahead Sagara-san and have fun. Don't let me keep you."

"Uh-uh, that's simply not gonna do." Sanosuke wagged a finger in front of me. And before I could avoid it, his hand came clamping down my wrist and when I looked up at him there was this wolfish grin painted on his lips. "You and I are going to dance."

"W-who? Dance? Oh no, no, no, no, no, no!" The last 'no' came out as a shriek when Sanosuke forced me away from the safe haven of the buffet table and half-dragged me to the center of the dance floor. "I can't dance! I've never danced before!" was my high-pitched protest as the Pussycat Doll's rendition of 'Sway' started to play. When Sano momentarily let go of me to pull something out of his pocket, I quickly turned around to scurry away. But I barely made three steps when his big hands cupped my small waist and carried me back to him._ Darn it!_

"Sanosuke Sagara!" I pleaded as I watched the couples all around us dance so fluidly to the music. "Don't do this to me. I can't dance! I'll just embarrass both of us if I try to."

He grinned down at me._ The jerk!_ "I'll show you how. There's nothing to it. Just follow my lead."

"No. No, I won't do it." I stood still and refused to hold the open palms being offered to me. But to my utter helplessness, he took my hands and pulled me closer to him.

"We can do this two ways you know," he told me silkily. "Either you dance with me and try to make the most of it, OR, you can embarrass yourself by struggling and squealing. Because I'm telling you now honey, either way I'm not letting go."

I was frozen with his words and he took that cue to dip me, putting me in a totally vulnerable position. I took a quick intake of breath as a sign of incredulity before uttering, "You're unbelievable."

So we danced, or rather, he _danced_ while I completely, utterly, unmistakably and without a doubt _fumbled_. I know Sano –really- tried to teach my uncoordinated feet to float to the music, but I just ended up stepping on his toes after every other count. He tried to lead me to the right direction but I ended up going the opposite way. And whenever he tried to carry me or dip me I would struggle so vehemently in his clutches that he'd always wind up giving up on that idea instead._ I couldn't help it!_ I get scared whenever he'd wrap his fingers around my waist or nape. I knew he was getting frustrated with my ineptitude. And though I'd want nothing else but to believe that his annoyance didn't bother me one single bit, I knew I'd only be lying to myself… I'm not exactly thrilled with the way I was handling this whole dancing thing._ I wanted to stop!_

My face got hotter and hotter as the song progressed to its climax. I could see people laughing at us at the corners of my eyes and I couldn't take the humiliation anymore! So with that thought, I urgently tried to break free off of Sano's hold with the words, "Sagara!"

"No wait," there was that stubborn look on his face again-_ the one I was slowly getting accustomed to._ "You almost got it."

"That's not true and we both know it. Please, let's just sit this one out. I'm embarrassed enough already!"

Now for some reason that I couldn't figure out, Sanosuke seemed to have taken this statement as a personal insult to his skill when my intent was anything but. Taking on a look of pure irritation, Sanosuke spat out, "So…_you're_ embarrassed? Fine! I'll dance with someone else then!"

And after saying this, he roughly twirled me away from him and I went spinning crazily towards the crowd. Whether he meant for me to collide with something or someone so that I'd hurt myself was a matter of question. Because if he did, then he must have been sorely disappointed when someone took hold of my hand and pulled me back to an even footing. I was still seeing dancing stars around my head when the voice of my rescuer sliced through my consciousness. "A mentor should know better than to give up on his pupil just because his student is a little slow on the uptake. Don't you think so Sanosuke?"

My eyes snapped up in surprise to the face of the person who was still holding me. Kenshin looked away from Sanosuke after saying those words and raised an eyebrow when our eyes met. "Hey there," he greeted with a smirk. "Should've known you couldn't stand without me."

At first I couldn't speak. But finally, my brain came back and I muttered something about fatheads and their innate tendencies to spout lame lines from the crypt keeper's scrapbook.

"Miss me?"

"Congratulations Himura you've just taken human inanity to the next level. From being a jackass to a dumbass- quite impressive." And then I remembered one important fact in the middle of this weirdness. "Are you even supposed to be here?"

He winked. "I go where my heart takes me."

"How poetic," I said dryly as I folded my hands to my chest. "Should I get a harp and start strumming? Or perhaps a tuba to match your blowhard personality?"

"I-" Kenshin wasn't able to continue when we both realized that Sanosuke was now standing right next to us. There was a grin on his face as he clasped hands with his friend and they held each other briefly in a brotherly embrace. "I thought you weren't coming?" Sano started.

"I thought so too," I couldn't help but quip. Kenshin's grin grew wider while my frown deepened._ Arrogant jackass! Why was he smiling at me like that?_

"And you said you didn't miss me Kaoru."

"As much as I miss a migraine."

"Cute." His smile never wavered and that surprised me. He was obviously in an unnaturally good mood to keep him grinning like an idiot when I on the other hand was bristling with animosity. "I'll take that harp now."

Sano was looking at us with a bemused smile on his lips. "I didn't know that you two are acquainted?" Then he let out a snort of disbelief. "What are the odds of that? Kaoru is my date you know."

"Really? Well…what are the odds of that," Kenshin answered with a smirk while I came short to rolling my eyes in front of Sagara. I mean,_ honestly!_ This bird-haired twit beside us was probably the only one in school who didn't know that I was Kenshin's 'new' girlfriend. Was it because of indifference to school gossip, or plain and simple ignorance? I for one tend to lean on to the latter, for obvious reasons.

As I looked at the two friends talking genially to each other, it was only then that I noticed Kenshin's 'special' ensemble. He was wearing a black suit with the sleeves rolled up and matching slacks finished with red checkered flat shoes and shades on top of his head. I'm not sure, but I think his outfit was 80's inspired or something. Anyway, I didn't think he looked anything special with his chosen look. But of course, his 'ordinariness' didn't stop the girls from ogling him._ God! This school is so full of ditzes._

"So who did you come here with man?" Sanosuke's words rang strong and clear in my ears amidst the sounds of dancing, chatter and music around us. "Who's your date?"

"Yeah Kenshin, who's your date?" I mimicked. Then I muttered beneath my breath, "Like I didn't know.

Kenshin must have heard my words because he grinned smugly down at me before beckoning to someone in the throng of teenagers near the gym entrance. And as if it was purposely orchestrated for some sort of magnificent stage performance, the people parted to give way to a breath-taking angel that looked too heavenly to belong here on earth.

_Well…so I'm exaggerating a wee bit._ Shoot me. But there was no doubt that Tomoe looked nothing short of sexy and sultry in her black leotards and white top, paired with a cute little beret on her hair to finish the beatnik look. Her hair flowed like gossamer silk framing her lovely face as she walked with light footsteps towards us. There was that toothpaste commercial smile on her lips that she was famous for, and I noticed how my 'date' ogled the lovely lady in front of him like a thirsty man in the middle of the desert at his first sight of water.

At this, I looked down at my own costume and felt like melting to the floor._ Why oh why did I have to choose this dress? _Why couldn't I have gone for a more 'chick' look instead of coming here in my usual style of drab and tastelessness?_ I just had to come here looking like a 'hippie', didn't I?_ Drats…

"Hey Kaoru," Tomoe raised an eyebrow down at me the moment she was near enough. She hooked her arm around the crook of Kenshin's own arm and leaned a bit sideways. "So you came. I'm glad to see you're trying to put some excitement in your social life."

I looked away, rolled my eyes, and deigned to answer.

Sanosuke slung his arm over my puny shoulders once more. "And you'll be seeing more of her soon. With me as her date, she'll soon discover the party animal within her. I can assure you that."

"No you can't." I whispered as I removed his arm.

"I agree," Kenshin replied, looking straight at me. "Some people are just too…predictable. And that's because that's how they'll always be, right Kaoru? Losers of the worst variety who are too lazy to pick themselves up and try to make something off of themselves other than what they already think they are."

I raised my eyes to meet his briefly before glancing away again. I tucked my hands beneath my arms and shrugged, ignoring the underhanded stab in his words. Just as I did this, a new song began to play. It was 'Why Can't I' by Liz Phair and it happened to be a favourite of mine. I was quite so surprised to hear the song play that my eyes flew away from Himura and towards the gym speakers hanging overhead.

"Kenshin, let's?"

Kenshin looked at Tomoe after she spoke, and then promptly returned his gaze on me. I felt his stare so I tore my eyes away from the ceiling and back to him. His eyes, I noted, were questioning.

"You dancing Kaoru?"

The lyrics of the song started to play:_ 'Get a load of me, get a load of you. Walking down the street, and I hardly know you…'_

'_It's just like we were meant to be…'_

I pursed my lips before answering, "No."

His stare grew more intense, before he uttered gently, "Why not?"

"It's just as you said Himura-san," I replied softly without my gaze wavering. "Some people…are just too predictable."

'…_You say it isn't right,_

_and I've got someone waiting too…_

_What if it's just the beginning?'_

Kenshin shook his head. He was still smiling, but it was a sarcastic one. And there was a glimmer of sadness in his eyes when he whispered, "You disappoint me Kaoru."

He finally let himself be dragged away by his real girlfriend to the center of the dance floor. I watched in silence as Tomoe wrapped her hands around his neck and she whispered something in his ear which made him smile that kind of smile I rarely see him give me. And for some reason, the sight of it seemed to penetrate my being in a certain level that was too scary to contemplate about. I waited for him to look in my direction, for our eyes to meet for the last time tonight before I leave this stupid school and this stupid party that I shouldn't have gone to in the first place. But he never tore his eyes away from Tomoe. And as the song reached its chorus, I felt that emptiness inside me grow bigger.

'_Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you?'_

'_Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?'_

"Do you want to try dancing again Kaoru?"

I looked away from Tomoe and Kenshin to stare blankly at my 'date'. He was wearing a confused smile on his face. I inhaled deeply before answering truthfully, "I don't know."

"Excuse me?"

I was still watching Kenshin and Tomoe as they swayed in each other's arms in such an intimate manner that even the most stoic-hearted would have gone_ 'aaahhh…'_ for. "What I meant-" I started, "-is that I don't know what I want anymore…" I ended with a sigh.

Sano scrunched up his face in bewilderment. I sighed loudly in exasperation before turning around and telling him, "Oh forget it! Just leave me alone and go dance with someone else!"

To my utter relief, Sanosuke didn't try to follow me as I marched angrily towards the exit. I hastened my footsteps as I wanted very badly to escape the suffocating cloud of confusion that enveloped me moments ago when Kenshin said that he was disappointed in me. As I walked briskly down the hallway leading to the school front doors, I passed by a water fountain so I stopped to take a refreshing drink. By the time I was finished and I straightened my body, I almost jumped out of my skin in surprise when I found Tomoe standing beside me.

"What?" I gasped and backed away. When I calmed down, I repeated my question in a less hoarse voice. "W-what is it?"

Tomoe looked angry. "Do you want to be in the stupid play or not?"

"What?"

"I said," she gritted her teeth. "-do…you…want…to…be…in…the…school…play- OR NOT?"

"I'm not a retard!" I snapped at her. "And what kind of question is that?"

"Just answer it Kaoru Kamiya!"

The last time I heard Tomoe use that tone on me was back in fifth grade when I forgot to bring an important material for our joint science project. And just like in the past, my response to that admonishing demeanour was to hang my head low in shame. And quietly, in a chastised voice, I replied, "Of course I do, Tomoe. You know that. I'll do anything to get into that play…"

"Anything?" She raised an eyebrow as she folded her hands to her chest. "Is that a promise?"

"Where are you going with this Tomoe-chan?"

"Kaoru!"

I sighed. "Yeah, yeah I promise…"

At this, she smiled. "So here's what I want you to do. I'm going ahead so wait for at least five minutes before following me back inside the gym, okay?"

I nodded, though still confused were this was all headed.

"Now pay attention because the next detail of my plan is the most important." At this, she leaned closer with a conspiratorial look in her eyes as she whispered, "I'll be standing next to the bleachers and you'll approach me there. Then I'll do the rest."

"Well what am I going to do then?"

"You," she winked mischievously, "Will make sure to look as angry as you can… _Do you think you can handle that?_"

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"So you haven't told me why you dated Kaoru Kamiya."

Sanosuke was grinning as he looked away from the sexy junior giving him the eye and turned his attention to his friend. Kenshin smirked after seeing his exchange with the buxom brunette, and then went back to the subject at hand. "Well?"

"I know what you're thinking." Sano laughed as he waved a plastic cup between them. "You must be thinking I've gone completely loco, or something. But believe me man-" he paused momentarily to wink at the beautiful girl who passed by. "-I always make sure I benefit in every conquest I make."

The two friends made their way to the buffet table together. Sanosuke took another glass of punch while Kenshin simply ignored the food. He was eager to know what Sanosuke was up to this time, especially since the matter concerned Himura's make-believe girlfriend. "Sagara 'ol buddy, I hardly think Kamiya is the girl who can give you the kind of 'benefits' that you're usually accustomed and addicted to."

He shrugged. "I'm not after the sex, Kenshin. Although come to think of it…" at this, Sanosuke began to grin devilishly. "My taking her virginity will make a nice little addition to the notches on my bedpost."

"Your bedpost must be so worn down by now if that is the case, you hunky stud you." And at this, both of them broke into a hearty laughter.

"But seriously now-" Sano was the first one to sober up. "I've been failing Chemistry all year long so my teacher warned me that he'll chew my ass off for good unless I pass this last term. And that's where twitchy Kaoru Kamiya enters the picture. Get my drift?"

"Aaahhh…" Kenshin cocked an eyebrow. "But how are you going to do that when the girl can hardly stand you, much less pass your Chem. for you?"

Sanosuke was eyeing another female from the other side of the room. When he finally returned his attention to his red-haired friend, he laughed condescendingly. He went back to the buffet table and poured himself another drink before returning to his companion's side. "Relax man," he paused to wink at another girl that passed by with pink streaks in her hair. "I may not be good with Chem., but I_ know_ women. So I'm telling you that by this time next week, all that seeming aversion will be turned to the exact opposite and she'd be begging for me to let her take my college entrance exams. The Sagara charm never failed before, and it never will!"

"Whatever," Kenshin muttered with a roll of his eyes. He finally gave in and went to the buffet table himself to fetch a drink. When he came back he saw Sanosuke watching Tomoe, who just entered the gym, with eyes that clearly told him what his friend was thinking about at the moment. And none of those thoughts were anything below R18.

Kenshin was mildly surprised to realize that he was not the least bit annoyed with this. And as he sidled back to Sanosuke's side, he was still contemplating about the strangeness of his own calmness when the aforementioned friend started to speak.

"Man, if I went here with a date as good looking as Tomoe instead of that boring, butt-ugly girl I came with instead, I know I won't let the night end without getting some action." He turned to look at Kenshin with an impish grin. "Hey no offence there buddy. Actually, I'm rather glad you two are back together. It's just too bad I never formally met the girl you replaced Tomoe with. She must be a real hottie for you to dump gorgeous Tomoe for her, eh?"

Kenshin ignored everything past the word 'instead' and found himself focusing on Sanosuke's first statement. His eyebrows were knotted together and his face began to darken. "Careful with what you're saying Sagara-san," he told his friend in an icy voice. "I don't think Kaoru's boyfriend will appreciate you badmouthing his girl…"

Sanosuke almost spouted his drink through his nose after hearing Kenshin's words. "Boyfriend? No way!" He set his cup of punch back on the table. "That horse-faced girl has a boyfriend? How can that be? How anyone can be attracted to that sad chick is _waaayyy_ beyond me! What a miserable prick he must be."

If only Sanosuke took a moment to pause from his incredulity, he would have noticed how his friend's expression darkened suddenly and how Kenshin's hands slowly started to clench tightly into fists at his sides.

"I hardly think so," Kenshin replied calmly with poison in his voice. But once again, Sanosuke failed to detect the signs of impending doom.

"Look, look, there she is!" Sanosuke pointed in the direction of the gym doors where he saw Kaoru enter from. He wrinkled his nose in disgust when he noted her 70's costume. "God! That dress is really horrible. The longer I look at it, the uglier it gets. I guess I should say it complements the wearer, but I do feel sorry for her."

"Sano…"

"She'll be so easy Kenshin. And I don't care whoever her loser boyfriend is. I'm bagging that prize and that perfect chemistry grade, you just wait and see."

"Sano."

"I know she probably won't be any good in bed. But-"

"SANO!"

This time, he finally turned around to face Kenshin. But the sight that greeted him was the image of a hard fist aimed right between his eyes…

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I was approaching Tomoe where she stood next to the bleachers like she instructed earlier when a loud howl of excitement halted me in mid-step. I looked away from Tomoe, who I saw was just as startled as I was, and towards the ruckus gathering near the buffet table. Everywhere, students were chanting "Fight! Fight!" while I could hear some girls shrieking in varying crescendos.

I wasn't interested to know what the trouble was about, much less go near and see what it was. But then a name floated in the air and reached my ears. And the moment I heard, both my blood and my heart froze.

"-Kenshin!"

"-fighting-"

"Sanosuke is-"

"-Who?"

"Oh my God there's blood! Kenshin is-!"

"…Sagara fell! Oh no! He's a dead man! He's-"

I saw faculty teachers and some members of the student body rushing towards the scene but I beat them to it. For the first time in my life, I let the devil possess me and this same devil helped me jostle and fight my way towards the middle of the hubbub. Finally when I got there the sight surprised me so much that it took my brain more than a few minutes before it could function again.

Kenshin was there. And so was Sanosuke. Both had cuts and bruises all over and both were now being restrained away from each other by the other students. I saw Tomoe break through the crowd, inhale sharply in surprise, and then kneel beside Kenshin as she dabbed her handkerchief on the cut above his left eyebrow.

My breath hitched in my throat upon seeing Kenshin's state. And right at that moment, as if by magic, Kenshin intuitively turned his head to his left and our eyes locked. I saw the blood trickle from a wound at the corner of his mouth and I couldn't help but lick my own lips in anxiety.

"What's your problem you bastard!" It was Sanosuke's angry shout that brought me out of that time flux that Kenshin and I seemed to have created between ourselves. My eyes then swivelled to the bigger man's direction and noted, with incredible relish, that he was just as badly beaten and his nose was bleeding.

"What's going on here!" vice-principal Yamagata's voice boomed like a canon in the middle of the shouts and taunts, and instantly the gym became as still and as quiet as a graveyard. The guys who were holding back Sanosuke and Kenshin let them go and stepped back as the man in charge went in the middle to scrutinize the two.

"I demand an answer!" the vice-principal thundered, his face red with anger. And since Sanosuke was the one nearest to him, he turned to him first. "Mr. Sagara?"

"He punched me first sir!"

"Mr. Himura, is this true?"

Kenshin didn't speak.

"Answer me young man, or else!"

Kenshin raised his eyes and turned his head so once more he was looking directly at me. A sudden fear, nervousness and apprehension took hold of me as our eyes locked.

"Mr. Himura, so help me, if you don't tell me your side right now then I won't give you another chance to-"

Without breaking eye contact with me, Kenshin quietly answered the Mr. Yamagata's question without batting an eyelash. "The bastard said some degrading things about my girlfriend so I decided to shut him up with my fist…"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sanosuke sputtered. "I never said anything bad about Yukishiro-san, you fucking liar! I was talking about Kaoru Kamiya, dammit! And-"

Realization must have finally dawned upon his thick skull because he stopped dead right before he could finish his sentence and his head quickly turned towards my direction. At this motion, I felt all eyes inside that gym turn to me and it was the most uncomfortable moment in my life. And what was the strange about the whole thing was that it probably wouldn't have been half as bad if only Kenshin would stop looking at me like I killed his mother or something.

I swallowed perceptibly and averted my eyes away while the vice-principal dragged the two to his office. And when Sano and Kenshin were gone, the other teachers dispersed the students and they all went back to partying hard like nothing extraordinary happened just minutes ago. The only ones left standing on that very same spot was Tomoe and me. When I raised my eyes to meet hers, her lips were pursed and her brows were knitted together. She slowly walked up towards me while I watched her apprehensively from where I was standing. Once she was near, she dropped her voice to a whisper and told me, "This might hurt a bit, so I'm saying sorry in advance…"

And before I could question what she meant by those words, she delivered a loud, stinging slap on my right cheek.

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The gymnasium was empty and quiet save for the 'splish-splosh' sound of a wet mop moving across the floor. Kenshin wasn't minding the eerie silence or the pain in his ribs as he swabbed the place clean. He would occasionally straighten up to wipe the sweat off of his brow with his left arm before he would resume his work. And once he was finished with that task, he moved on to the next arduous chore of picking up the party left-overs on top of the tables, chairs, and the ones wedged in between some sort of crevice and such. He was in the middle of putting the used plastic cups inside the large trash bag beside him when he heard the gym doors open.

"Need some help?"

Kenshin didn't even look up from what he was doing. "I'm fine. Shouldn't you be home already?"

Kaoru slowly walked up to where he was standing, hands clasped behind her, as she eyed all the trash littering the buffet table and the bleachers. "My mom won't be home tonight and Aoshi probably doesn't want my company, so…I came back." Then clearing her throat, she started, "Kenshin, I just wanted to say I'm-"

She got cut-off when Kenshin quickly interrupted her with a breezy, "Don't sweat it," before he moved the full trash bag away and started to open a new one.

Kaoru looked at her sandaled toes and wiggled them uneasily. "I know you'll say that…but just the same I want to say…" she sighed loudly, "-thanks… What you did back there was really-"

"Nice?" This time he finally faced her. Kaoru couldn't tell what he was truly feeling at the moment because all his expression revealed was casual indifference. "Listen…you don't have to be my girlfriend for me to take offence of those things that Sanosuke said. He was really nasty, that good-for-nothing asshole!"

She smiled tentatively. "I know you were going to say that too."

Kenshin glanced away and sighed before he turned his back on her and recommenced his trash picking. He heard some rustling sound behind him so he slightly angled his head to look. He was surprised to find that Kaoru took another trash bag and was now in process of picking up the rubbish he hadn't clean up yet.

"What are you doing?"

Kaoru glanced up from her work and shrugged. "Helping you out."

"I said I was fine, didn't I?"

"You don't have to be fine for me to help you," she grinned as she repeated his own line of reasoning earlier. "I know all this clean-up is a real pain in the ass if you have to do it alone."

Kenshin let his eyes roll to the back of his head in frustration before sighing out loud in an obvious sign of defeat. Kaoru giggled and went back to the job at hand. For the next few minutes, both of them worked in silence as they cleaned the gym. Both were trying their best to pretend that they weren't aware of one other, when the truth was that they couldn't have been more conscious of each other's presence even if they were born conjoined to the hip.

Uncomfortable with the steady silence, it was Kaoru who decided to break the spell. "You look terrible by the way. A black eye doesn't go well with your red hair."

"Gee thanks," was the sarcastic reply.

Kaoru smiled to herself as she tied the trash bag she was holding. Then tentatively, she asked, "So…exactly what did Sano say about me that got you leaping at his throat anyway?"

"Nothing worth repeating."

"Oh I bet I can pretty much guess what he said. Does it run along the lines of: boring, ugly and lame?"

Kaoru straightened up at the exact moment that Kenshin did. Their eyes met and the silence seemed thicker than before.

Kaoru shrugged and laughed half-heartedly. "I'm right, aren't I? I know this…because it's the truth."

He remained quiet. Suddenly, he dropped his cleaning materials and approached her with purposeful steps. Her first reaction was to take one step back in apprehension even though she knew she shouldn't be intimidated because, right then and there, Kenshin looked anything but intimidating.

That night, he looked warm…caring…

_-he looked like he was a friend…_

When he was right in front of her, he offered his palm and asked in a low voice, "Care for a dance?"

At first, she only looked at his hand in puzzlement before nervously shaking her head. "I…I can't dance."

"Well okay…how about this then? We won't dance," there was a smile on his face now, "-we're just going to hold hands and sway a bit to the music. I'm sure you can do that."

_How could she refuse him when he made it sound so simple enough?_

"There's no music," Kaoru thought it wise to point out.

"I'll sing then."

"No!" she gasped. Then when she got a hold of herself, she chuckled. "Sorry, no offence there. It's just that I heard you sing before, and your voice is not exactly…well…"

She let it hang in the hair and Kenshin couldn't help but laugh himself. He didn't even look the least bit insulted. "Okay then, you sing. And don't-" at this, Kenshin raised his palm to stop her protests before they could even escape her lips, "-and no objections. Obviously, I'm not musically inclined enough for your ears so your voice will have to do. And I don't care if you're as bad as a yowling cat clawing his way up on a blackboard, you're going to provide our music and that's that!"

With this said, his right hand took hers gently while he planted his left on her waist. And then he pulled her a bit closer to him. Not too close that she would get uncomfortable, but not too far that it wouldn't be intimate anymore. It was just right and Kaoru was grateful for it. He didn't move immediately at first, giving both of them a chance to grow accustomed to the situation and to their unnatural closeness.

"So what do you want me to sing?"

"Anything." Then he added immediately, "No wait! I want you to sing that song from earlier. The one that was playing before Tomoe left to follow you after she saw you leave."

Kaoru took only a moment before she remembered what it was. So with much hesitation at first, she started to utter the first few lines of the song.

"Get a load of me, get a load of you. Walking down the street, and I hardly know you…"

"You don't sound any better than me," Kenshin scoffed. "You sound like a horse with asthma."

She let go of his nape and slapped his arm playfully with it. "Oh shut up! I haven't gotten to the good part yet."

He laughed while she continued to sing. And with this, they began to circle the room, twirling, pirouetting…they did everything just so they wouldn't have to stop what they were doing, whatever it was. Kenshin said it wasn't dancing. But it wasn't merely standing either. She was singing and Kenshin was smiling and making these funny moves that would either shock her into laughter or would make her giggle with the sheer silliness of it.

_So what were they doing exactly?_ She couldn't help but muse to herself. And as Kenshin dipped her once more and her grip on his hand and shoulder tightened, their eyes met and he smiled.

She felt something flutter in her chest and it stopped her from smiling back.

_What were they doing!_

"Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you?"

Kenshin pulled her up so unexpectedly that it brought their faces only a few centimetres apart. She looked up at him and he stared back.

She continued to sing so that her mind would remain blank and she wouldn't be overwhelmed by the sudden surge of emotions that threatened to engulf her. "…Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?"

"Kaoru…?"

"It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it…So tell me…"

"Kaoru…why did you go with Sanosuke anyway?"

She stopped singing. "Why didn't you go to Okinawa like you told me to?" she returned.

Gently, as if they were reluctant to do so, their footsteps slowed and their hands started to let go of each other. They stepped away until a comfortably formal distanced separated them. Kaoru tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear while Kenshin dug his hands deep inside his slacks pockets. For a minute, none of them wanted to speak. Neither one of them willing to break the safe silence that they built between each other.

But someone had to speak. And uneasily, Kenshin decided that he would be the first one to step up to the plate. "It was Tomoe's idea to come here. She said this dance will be a good place for the people to watch the 'drama' between us unfold…or something to that effect."

Satisfied with the answer, she provided her own. "I didn't come here with Sagara-san tonight because I wanted his company. God Kenshin, I'm not dumb! I know he's only doing this because we're project partners in Chemistry and he wanted to raise his grades by using me. He's not exactly the first guy who ever tried pulling that trick on me you know."

He nodded and combed his hair back with his fingers. "So…why did you still come here with him then?"

"Because…"

"Because?"

Kaoru looked away and exhaled wearily. she folded her arms to her chest and shrugged with a tired expression on her face. "Because…maybe…" she swallowed nervously, "-maybe I just want to stop being so damn predictable, that's why…"

He watched her and couldn't help admiring her guts in admitting this. Almost two weeks ago, he wouldn't have believed that this sarcastic, gutsy, impulsive side of Kaoru that he was seeing right now actually existed. She always had been the 'safe' girl…quiet, timid, scared, easy to read-_ just plain predictable._ But for the past few days since this deal started, he had seen so many facets of Kaoru Kamiya's personality that he simply stopped being surprised all in all.

_After all…_it wasn't as if he found these new characteristics unpleasant. Far from it, in fact. He might even go as far as to say that he was finding this new Kaoru to be quite attracti-

At this note, Kenshin stopped himself from going beyond those mental thoughts. It was a dangerous territory that he was not prepared to take on._ He just couldn't bear even having the slightest thought about it!_ The very idea that he was slowly starting to like this pasty-faced, bun-wearing, soft-spoken girl in front of him was going to drive him straight in the arms of a straitjacket if he didn't stop himself!

"So you want to stop being predictable?" He wanted to confirm.

She nodded timidly. "I want to try. And I want to get into that play no matter what! So if it will require me to remove myself from my comfort zone, then…"

He walked up to her with a hand beneath his chin as if in deep thought. Kaoru prepared herself for his words,_ but what he did instead completely threw her off guard._ When his eyes landed on her, a mischievous grin started to tear at his lips and he suddenly touched her arms with the words, "Tag! You're it!"

"W-what?" Kaoru blustered and Kenshin started to sprint away. "Kenshin Himura, what do you mean 'it'? I am not running after you! I won't!" When he didn't stop running, she shouted, "I mean it! That is so childish!"

"So you won't run eh?" he halted and called back. "You never do anything exciting! Always miss prim-and-proper, old biddy! Well that is so_ predictably_ you, Kaoru Kamiya!"

He laughed and started running all over the place, taunting and teasing her as he went. "I'm not being predictable," she defended herself. "I just don't like doing childish stuff! Will you stop it already? I'm not-"

"Aoshi Shinomori is gay!" Kenshin hollered. "Aoshi likes looking at guys in public baths!"

Kaoru made a loud sound of disbelief. Then, her eyes narrowed into slits and she told him in a snarl, "Okay…that's it! You're dead Kenshin Himura!"

She started to run, and they both laughed when they almost toppled over the perfectly organized trash bags that they had put away earlier; their sounds of laughter echoing loudly within the whole gymnasium. When Kaoru finally caught up with him, he trapped her in a warm embrace and they laughed and laughed to their heart's content.

"I never would have predicted that you would be able to catch me," Kenshin wheezed as he tried to regain his breath.

"But that's only because you slowed down. I saw you! You let me win."

"And you have a problem if I let my girlfriend win?"

Their laughter subsided but a smile between them lingered. Shyly, Kaoru met his steady gaze and said, "Kenshin…I really, really want to be in_ that_ play."

"You don't have to tell me why if you don't want to."

"But I do want to tell you Kenshin… I didn't want to before, but now I do…"

His face became serious, but the friendly grin was still there. "I'm listening."

She slowly broke away from his hold, but she didn't step away. She wanted to be near him so that he would hear clearly everything that she wanted to say._ Every single word…_ "I've always been good at acting and I've been a stage actress since middle school… And that's exactly what I want to become one day- a great and famous actress."

"-Mr. Shishio, the famous director, will be coming to the school play because Seirin High used to be his alma mater. So you see Kenshin, that's why I have to be cast as the lead in this year's end-of-term school play! I have to be the lead actress and nothing else but, so that Mr. Shishio will see my skill and-"

"And propel you to your dream- to become a great and famous actress," Kenshin finished softly.

She smiled as she whispered in a small voice, "There's nothing in the world that I could want any more than this…"

After she said this, Kenshin grew quiet and he bowed his head. For a few seconds, he remained this way until finally he raised his head and took her hands in his. "So I guess…" he started, "-we really have to do our best then, both in this charade and in the play once Mr. Okina accepts us back, so that you can realize your dreams, isn't that right?"

"But I haven't been doing a very good job of acting enamoured with you for the past few days…" she told him mournfully.

"I noticed that."

"It's just that…Kenshin…our history together is-"

She couldn't finish it and Kenshin found himself very uncomfortable all of a sudden. He let go of her hands and took one step back, unable to meet her eyes. But at that moment, Kaoru saw something in Kenshin Himura that she never saw before. She couldn't name what it was, what she was seeing in him that she found so_- refreshing._ But whatever it was, she didn't want it to disappear or to slip away, not when Kenshin was only standing just a few feet away from her.

So boldly, she crossed the short distanced between them and took his hands in hers with a smile.

"But Kenshin," she started in a gently voice, "-Acts like what you did tonight and a few nights ago at the beach…they…they really help me forget, you know…"

He didn't want to meet her eyes but she raised a hand to gently push his cheeks so that his gaze locked with hers. "-And when I forget about the past, our past, it makes it a lot easier for me to pretend…pretend that you're the sweet, caring boy that Tomoe fell in love with and dumped me for…"

She blinked after these words and watched as he licked his lower lips. Then slowly, her eyes fluttered close and she started to tiptoe to raise her face to level with his. Reading her actions, Kenshin angled his chin and dipped his head until their lips met. And at that moment, her mind became blank and all that she was aware of was the nervous beating of her heart.

It wasn't so bad, the experience of her first kiss with him._ But it wasn't great either_, she wanted to convince herself. And when they finally parted, they didn't immediately let go, still holding on as they both contemplated about what just happened.

Kaoru suddenly became afraid… Afraid and anxious when she realized that she had just done something that she would never be able to reverse no matter how hard she try. And she knew, just by looking deep within Kenshin's violet depths, that nothing will ever be the same again between the two of them.

_She shouldn't have danced with him…_

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**_A/N:_**I am so, so, so, soooorrrryyyy for the very, very, very loooonnnggg delay! Summer classes bogged me down and I even almost failed one subject (I'm never good at math!). And now that I'm in third year college starting on my majors, I hardly find time to breathe, much less type. The only reason I was able to write and finish this chapter was because classes were suspended for two days straight due to a storm. (sigh) After this, my next update probably won't be until the end of midterms…

I'm really sorry for this slowdown. I really wish I could just, you know, pause time and go to a place unaffected by this time flux where I can type my fics to my heart's content without the worries of reality and college studies in general. Alas, I don't know anyone with that superhuman power, so…

**ATTENTION: my fic "Love for Sale" is nominated in the alternate-reality category of RKRC. Here's the website (rkrcDOTmeijitalesDOTcom). Please, if you're not too angry with me that is, go visit the site and vote for my story.**

I can't make any promises about how often I can update any of my fics here. All I can assure you is that I'll try my best to make every instalment as satisfying for you readers as I can…

The song featured here btw is "Why Can't I" by Liz Phair from the movie '13 Going 30'** (",)  
**


	14. about love, life and sex

"Is something wrong?"

I tried to stab the brown, crunchy hunk of beef that the cafeteria dared to call a 'steak' and, after missing my target for the umpteenth time that period, decided to drop my fork and rest my head on my right palm instead as a disgusted sigh rolled off my lips.

"I'm fine," I exclaimed softly as I fought for my eyes not to flutter close. "Stupid food! Cavemen used to fight for their meal- so where's modernization now?"

Kenshin, who was sitting across the table from me, scrunched up his face and leaned forward to place the back of his hand on my forehead. "Are you really sure you're okay? You're not coming down with a fever, are you?"

I brought my free hand to my lips and yawned against my palm. "I said I'm fine didn't I?" I tried to snap at him, but was too tired to muster the energy needed to be catty. Instead, my head slowly drooped until my cheek rested on the cool, plastic surface of the table.

"Sleep much?" I heard him drawl sarcastically. I yawned again and replied with my eyes closed, "Much."

"Why? A problem kept you up?"

"I guess…" I replied sleepily.

"Bummer Kaoru… I mean, I know I'm a good kisser and all, but I didn't expect you to lose sleep because of it."

Those words made me sit up so I could throw him my most withering glare. "You wish! I hardly thought of you at all," I lied through my teeth (which was frustrating). "Something else was bothering me, you pinhea-"

"Careful darling," Kenshin crooned while grinning at me in the most maddening way as he took a bite of his sandwich. He chewed carefully, relishing the daggers my eyes were throwing at him, and laughed smugly. "You don't want to give the wrong impression to other people about how deeply we love each other with your…_endearments_."

My cheeks reddened and I quickly looked around to check if someone had or were listening to us. Thankfully, the school cafeteria and its inhabitants were far too busy and too caught up with the dramas of their own lives to take notice of us. Glumly, my eyes dropped to the horrid hunk of whatever lying on my plate and muttered, "Asshole."

"What?" Kenshin cocked an arrogant eyebrow down at me with that smug grin of his not wavering. "Didn't catch what you said back there."

"I said-" I raised my eyes to give him a bored look, but freezed when I saw Tomoe and her posse coming towards us, "-Friday will be great," my frown turning into a smile in seconds.

Kenshin's raised brow went up a few notches higher at this sudden change. And to boggle his mind more, I reached over to brush his stray bangs away from his cheeks and even leaned over to peck him on the nose. "I can hardly wait," I told him in a pleased murmur.

In my mind's eye, I saw the scene last night, of us laughing, us dancing-

_-Us…kissing…_

"Aw…how sweet."

Kenshin and I turned simultaneously to look at Sanosuke (he was the one who uttered those words) and I almost laughed out loud at how ridiculous he looked with the bruise that formed on the bridge of his nose. Granted that Kenshin didn't look so hot either with a busted lip- but compared to Sagara, Himura was a dreamboat.

Tomoe was quiet and both Sayo and Akira looked unsure. Enishi had this 'the-world-could-spontaneously-combust-right-now-and-I-wouldn't-give-a-damn-about-it' expression while Megumi, with a bruise identical to Sanosuke's, sniffed haughtily but didn't dare glare at me the way she usually did (probably for fear of what Kenshin would do to her once more if he caught her).

Kenshin stared at them and I had to wonder how all these things were affecting him. After all, he was blatantly shunning his friends and ditching his 'cool jock' social status to be with me -and for what? - just to help me with the play…? Himura had everything to lose and absolutely nothing to gain from this charade. And yet, he was doing it…doing it because I asked him to…

_But…why?_

"Sagara," Kenshin replied flatly. And at that moment all activities and merriments ceased as all eyes riveted on these two people who were, before I entered the picture, had been the best of friends. The air was so thick and ripe with tension that I bet everyone found it really hard to breathe- literally!

I clutched my skirt tightly, cold sweat starting to form on my forehead, as everyone waited anxiously for the inevitable to erupt…

But to my surprise, shock…and maybe even…relief, Sanosuke broke into a really, really –REALLY- wide grin and I saw Kenshin do the same. 'My' boyfriend stood up from his seat and Sagara punched him lightly on his left shoulder before they quickly enveloped each other in a brotherly, frat-type kind of hug.

I let out my breath, and slowly afterwards, the activity in the cafeteria resumed as the fight that the students were all-so-eagerly anticipating didn't happen. No-one lingered to watch for anything else that might unfold. There was just no gossip there, I guess. No excitement in seeing friends patch up. No headline material.

Kenshin and Sanosuke started goofing off like two friends who haven't seen each other for quite some time. There were mixed reactions as we watched them: Megumi rolled her eyes, Akira folded his arms to his chest with a satisfied look, Sayo giggled, Enishi quirked his lips to form a shadow of a smile, while Tomoe looked indignant but relieved at the same time that they didn't jump at each other's throat.

"My bad bro," Sano apologized as he started to sober up. He glanced at me and offered the same apologetic smile. "I know I'm the one who seriously fucked things up. I didn't know that…well…that she's your new girlfriend. Coz if I did, I wouldn't have…well…you know…"

_That doesn't justify or excuse you for plotting my seduction just to get a high grade in chem, and badmouthing me when my back was turned- you jackass_, I thought. But I didn't bother to say those words out loud. I mean,_ what was the use of antagonizing their friendship any further?_ What was currently between Kenshin and I wasn't real anyway. No sense in driving another wedge in their bond just for the sake of a fake relationship.

"Whatever," Tomoe muttered before turning to leave. Sayo followed her, but not before offering a kind smile in our direction, while Megumi simply walked away without a word or anything (which was kinda strange and uncharacteristic of her). Enishi and Akira didn't leave though, choosing to stick with their friends instead.

And so without further preamble, the other 'gods' of Seirin High took the vacant seats on our table and made themselves comfortable_- much to my surprise and discomfort_. I instantly flushed pink when Enishi sat down beside me. I didn't know why, but he felt so…overbearing. And it wasn't just because he was a big man- bigger than Kenshin and a half inch taller than Sanosuke. Maybe it was because of the way he combed his hair with his fingers, with a few sable strands escaping his hold and accentuating his beautiful turquoise eyes. Or maybe it was his cologne and the way it overwhelmed my senses completely. Or maybe it was the-

I didn't realize I was staring until Kenshin cleared his throat pointedly. Embarrassed and with my cheeks flaming, I directed my gaze back to my 'food'.

"I guess we all know each other here, am I right?" Kenshin started companionably with a laugh. "But just in case, Kaoru-" and with that he waved his hands to introduce his friends. "-These are my buddies, best people for doing monkey business, Sano, Akira, and Tomoe's brother Enishi. And guys, this is my girlfriend Kaoru Kamiya…"

Akira shook hands with me while Sano gave me a two-finger salute. But when I turned to Enishi, he didn't even bother to look at me. I guess he was just showing me where his loyalties lie. But for some reason, his indifference bugged me…

"Yo! Lab buddy," Sanosuke called my attention. I raised my head a bit to find him grinning lopsidedly. "Sorry about my attitude back at the party. You still mad?"

_Oh I'm not mad a-hole_, I thought with an inward groan,_ I'm just extremely, irrevocably, explicitly and without a doubt annoyed with you, that's all. No worries there_. But instead of answering, I turned to the redhead next to him and smiled sweetly, "What do you want to do after school, hon? Coz I'm thinking maybe we can go to the library later and finish up our-"

Kenshin's cheeks turned pink and Sanosuke started making choking sounds like a hyena with asthma. Akira sniggered and even Enishi was shaking his head._ Huh? Did I say something wrong?_ "What?" All the sleepiness was gone in my system now. "What is it? What did I say?"

"Oh Kamiya don't mind us." Sanosuke was clearly trying his best not to burst into laughter. He stood up on his feet and the others followed suit. He slapped Kenshin on his back and left us with these parting words, "See you later bro. Have 'fun' at the library."

His last statement was ended in such a funny tone that instantly prompted Akira to burst into crazy hysterics. And their laughter (excluding Enishi of course, the man never smiled-much less laugh) followed them and boomed with such resonance in the cafeteria that everyone they passed by had to look at them in wonder.

"Weird," I commented. I returned my gaze to my 'boyfriend' and started to speak, "What did they mean by-?" But before I could get any further, I was stopped by the expression on Kenshin's face.

Sparks were practically shooting from his eyes and his lips have formed into a thin line. I could almost literally see a vein throbbing out of his forehead as I watched his face turn from red to purple.

Wait. Was he…angry at me?

_What did I do?!?_

"Kenshin-?"

He abruptly got up from his seat and ran away. He didn't stop until he reached the exit doors.

_That couldn't be a good sign…_

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"Kenshin's your first boyfriend, isn't he?"

I ignored the comment and continued to pour the green liquid from the test tube into a beaker. I checked the stove, checked the frequency of the flame, and asked my partner, "Is the temperature correct?"

"Hmm…not hot enough," Sano replied with a grin. I raised an eyebrow at him through the protective goggles I was wearing. "Really now? According to Prof. Anji we should heat the beaker for until 39 to 50 degr-"

To my surprise, Sanosuke reached out lazily and turned off the stove. "You know what I'm talking about here Kamiya, so stop playing around."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, and-" After casting him an extremely put-off glare, I brought the flame back to life, before I continued, "-and I have no interest in finding out. So stop asking me questions about my love life and focus all your inquisitiveness on our project instead. Okay? Or do you want me to define what inquisitiveness is first?"

Sanosuke straightened up a bit from his lounging position on the chair and leaned closer towards me. His sudden nearness set off alarm bells in my head and I quickly dragged my stool a few inches away from him. His grin turned Cheshire-like after seeing my response. "I'm right, aren't I? Kenshin is your first?"

I nervously tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear and faced away from him. I tried to return my attention on the task at hand but every time I picked up a beaker, a tripod, or any lab equipment for that matter, Sano would either steal them away from me or exasperate me so much that it soon became impossible for me to get any work done!

"Alright!" I fumed when, due to his amateur juggling skills, he almost cost us two flannels and a test tube. "He's my first boyfriend, happy? Now either grow up or grow a brain, asshole!"

I tried to retrieve the items but he steered them away from me. "What?!" I stood up, slammed my palms on top of the table and gritted my teeth. "Do you want my cup size now?!"

A hush fell over the room and I felt like dying! All eyes were on me, including our teacher, as I sank back to my seat and mumbled an apology amidst the fiery colouring of my cheeks. Sagara, on the other hand, was tickled pink with the whole situation and didn't bother to hide that fact. He stretched out his hand to touch my face, but I angrily slapped it away.

"Oh don't be so mad, kitty-cat," he snickered. "For the record, women tend to tell me those kinds of things you know."

I gave him an icy look. "Are you getting paid for being an asshole?"

"I'm well gratified little kitten," he corrected cheekily. "I guess, you can call gratification as a form of…payment, hmm…"

"Well can't you just gratify yourself with someone else and leave me alone?"

He inched closer, staring me in the eye, laughter threatening to erupt from his lips. "And where's the fun in that? I do love a customer that pays you know."

I refused to back down from the challenge he posed. So even though I was beginning to get really, really uncomfortable with the way he was staring –_so intensely_- at me, I tried my best to hold his gaze just as resolutely, even tilting my chin defiantly for his benefit. "Be nice to me Sagara. I'm Kenshin's girlfriend, remember?"

"You have beautiful eyes, do you know that?" He abruptly changed the topic with a kind smile forming to replace his earlier sneer. "You should really wear contacts instead of glasses. Colourless, coz your eye colour is captivating enough." He lowered his head until only a few centimetres separated our noses_. Now I really wanted to look away!_ But my cursed pride promised me hell and back if I gave up now! And besides, how could I look away when he was looking at me with those mesmerizing and sexy eyes of his?

Wait! Did I just call Sano's eyes…mesmerizing and sexy?

_Ugh and double ugh!_

I felt him place his hand on top of mine and my brain froze. When he started to tease my fingers by entwining it with his, I stopped breathing.

_Damn, damn, and double damn!_ Why did he have to be so hot when all I wanted was to hate his guts? The bruise he earned from his fight with Kenshin didn't hide the fact that he was still utterly and so delectably gorgeous._ This staring game was SO not working out for me!_ I had to get away!

"I have to admit that at first I couldn't believe that Kenshin would dump Tomoe to be with you…" he drawled softly; voice so smooth and so soothing that it sent shivers running up and down my spine. "But looking in your eyes right now, I catch a glimpse of someone I'd like to get to know better…"

He brought his index finger and good-naturedly tapped my nose with it._ I hated myself for getting tongue-tied at such a crucial moment!_ I wanted to throw a hundred and one insults at his face, kick his shins, or add another injury to that pretty face! Instead, my free hand twitched at my sides, with my fingers burning for the desire to run itself through his soft, messy hair.

It was so easy to hate Sanosuke Sagara before when he was being such an infuriating prick! And how confident and proud I was for easily resisting him. But I should have known better than to assume…especially when the most notorious playboy of Seirin High was the one in question here. I shouldn't have counted out the fact that Sagara's annoying self might be only one of the many facets of his playboy image that I've seen.

-and that he was capable of changing his image to suit his needs…

-and that he could be seemingly sweet and charming if he wanted to…

My eyes trailed down until I found myself staring at his lips. Enraptured, I noted how soft, how red and how luscious it looked. Briefly, I wondered how it would feel like to have those lips pressed on mine…

The bell rang, snapping me out of my daze and into reality. Disoriented, I quickly got up and thanked the divine powers that be for giving me this avenue of escape. Prof. Anji gave some instructions as students quickly exited the room while I busied myself putting away lab equipment. At the corner of my eyes, I saw Sanosuke help me with the task and this gentlemanly act only made me tense up again.

When the cleanup was finished, I grabbed my backpack and prepared to bolt away when a hand suddenly held me back. I turned around and my heart raced when I realized that Sanosuke was standing –way too close- in front of me. Leaning over, he let his forehead rest on top of mine until our eyelashes almost met and he smiled at me once more-_ that heart-pounding smile of his that got so many girls in Seirin High in his bed_. That same smile that I thought I was impervious of.

I was wrong.

"So how often should we meet for our project, Kaoru?"

He didn't call me kitten, or lab partner, or any other irritating nicknames like he used to. He called me by my first name. And what was worse, he said it in such a respectful, normal manner that whatever snappy retort I had at the tip of my tongue quickly disappeared.

"Um," I hesitated, unsure of how I would address this courteous, considerate persona that suddenly took over Sanosuke Sagara_- the guy I hated almost more than I hated Kenshin Himura._ "I guess twice a week will do. Two to three hours probably…"

He started to grin mischievously. "Your house or mine?"

Now my heart started beating erratically at the possible implication of his words. I'm not going to let Sanosuke Sagara seduce me, especially now that I've painfully realized that he could actually do it if he really wanted to._ I won't let myself be another proverbial notch on his bedpost!_ I won't, I won't, I won't!

_I'd be safe in my own house right?_ "I guess my place will do."

He nodded, then stepped back and started for the door. But before he left me completely, he turned around and told me huskily, "See you later then. I'll bring some videos and snacks."

He was gone by the time I fully grasped the inescapability of the situation that I've let myself into.

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I was walking down the hallway and was relieved to find Kenshin by his locker. We had last period together and there was something I had to tell him before we went to class. "Kenshin!" I called him. He closed his locker door shut and faced me as I approached. Even from far away, I saw the coldly indifferent expression on his face and that made me pause in between steps._ Uh-oh, was he still mad at me for whatever I did earlier at lunch?_

"Hey," I walked up to him cautiously with a small smile, unsure of how to approach him with my problem. "So…" I hesitated. "Um, is everything okay? I mean, you suddenly left me in the cafeteria earlier and I was wondering…"

Kenshin slung his backpack over his shoulder before answering. "Everything's fine," he muttered. "We should get to class."

Instead of taking my hand, like he usually did for the past few days whenever we were together, he turned around and started walking away. Apprehensive, I followed him, trying my best to keep up with his brisk pace.

"A-are you sure you're okay?" I asked him in between pauses to catch my breath. "Why are you walking so fast? Are you mad at me or something?"

"I'm not," he replied without even a quick glance at my direction. "And we're going to be late."

"No we're not!" I was beginning to get angry myself. I grabbed his arm and forced him to stop. "What's your problem Himura? You're clearly mad at me and don't you deny it!"

"I said I'm not, didn't I?" he returned viciously before pulling his arm free. "Quit being a pest, Kamiya!"

_Kamiya?_ First, Sanosuke started calling me politely by my proper name, and now Kenshin was addressing me moodily by my last name- just like when we were still enemies._ Did I wake up in an alternate universe or something?_

"What are you PMS'ing about now?" I threw at him one of his classic lines. "If you have a problem, tell me. I'm not a mind reader you know." When he didn't stop walking, I yelled, "Stop being a clam, you idiot!"

He turned around with fire in his eyes and I took a step back. "I'm an idiot? I'm THE idiot? Ha!" He started to laugh derisively. "Coming from a girl who invites her boyfriend to a date in the library, I don't think so."

"What?" Now I was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"If you don't know what I'm talking about, you brat, then never mind!" he shouted back at me. "You're a hopeless virgin, Kaoru Kamiya."

With my mouth gaping open in shock, he ran away and left me completely. It was only a good thing that the hallway was empty and no one heard our exchange. Otherwise, I would have killed him!

In my anger and confusion, I wasn't able to ask him for help regarding his womanizing best friend, Sanosuke Sagara._ Now what am I going to do?_

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"He won't talk to me in class, he kept avoiding my eyes, and he didn't offer me a ride home." It was 5 in the afternoon and I was finally home, ranting at the phone with Tomoe on the other line. I dropped my body on top of my bed, held my forehead and let out a sigh. "I don't know what his problem is. He's such a jackass!"

"Maybe," my ex-best friend replied giggling. "But he's so handsome when he's angry, don't you think so? Back then, I used to purposely enrage him just to see his cute, pouting face. He's always so adorable whenever he gets worked up over something. And of course, the make-up sex that goes with it afterwards is just heaven." She coughed on the other line. "Not that I'm suggesting that you have sex with him after you guys clear things up. I mean he's still my boyfriend you know."

"Eeww Tomoe!" I groaned with disgust. "Have you any idea what you just said back there?" I was rolling my eyes as I talked. "He's not cute or adorable! And the way his face contorted when he shouted at me is hardly a pout in my book. And-" At this, I made gurgling sounds to get my point clear. "-I can't believe you're talking to me about Himura and about sex all at the same breath!!! Never, ever, for never put those two revolting words in one sentence when I'm around, got it?"

"Oh Kaoru, don't be such a fuddy-duddy old maid." Tomoe laughed. "Don't diss it until you experience it, sister. And believe me Kaoru, once you share it with someone you really care for, it will be all-"

"Stop!" I gasped, sitting up. "Stop there or I'll scream. I don't care if I sound and act like a fuddy-duddy old maid, as you put it, just don't make my ears bleed with stories about your adventures between the sheets…please!!!"

She was laughing so hard on the other line now that I had to fight the urge to slam the phone on her. I mean,_ honestly!_ I'm not a prude, okay? I just didn't want to talk about sex with my best friend when the tales she was likely to unravel were the ones with my arch-nemesis in it. Think of the trauma I'd go through once my imagination started to unfurl with the mental images_…ugh!!!_

But that got me curious though… And damn my curiosity for being stronger than my disgust! "Tomoe," I could feel my cheeks flame even before I got the words out. "I…I…I was just, um, wondering…w-was Himura your, you know, your-"

I stopped, unable to proceed. I instantly regretted having started this. "My…what Kaoru?" Tomoe prompted.

"N-never mind," I stammered. "Forget that I asked."

Annoyingly, Tomoe figured it all out because of my hesitation and she let out a high-pitched squeal. "Kaoru I thought you didn't-?"

"I said forget it, didn't I?" My cheeks burned so hotly that I thought I'd burst. "Stop laughing already!"

"Oh god yes -YES- he's my first." Tomoe answered my question anyway, amidst her laughter and my vehement protests. "But I'm not his. I guess I should be upset that we didn't share that magic moment for the first time together, but you know it was due to his previous experience that made the whole thing bearable for me. It hurt a lot, you know."

"Oh…" I sat up and started tugging anxiously at my ponytail. I got up on my feet and paced my room back and forth. "Did it really…hurt?"

"Yeah." Tomoe sounded pensive. "But I heard that if you lose 'it' with a pro, it wouldn't be half as bad because, obviously, he'd know the tricks to make the whole thing good. My Kenshin wasn't a pro when we did 'it', but he wasn't bad either…"

At the mention of the word 'pro', an image of an annoyingly-sexy guy with messy, spiky brown hair popped into my mind. I let out a groan.

"Tomoe, I need your advice about something…"

"Oh my god!" she screeched excitedly over the other line. "Kaoru Kamiya you're thinking about doing it, aren't you? Aren't you?!?"

I swallowed nervously. "It's not that I'm planning to do it- er, that is, what I meant back there is…" I shut my eyes tight and bit my lower lip. "Tomoe…is it possible to do 'it' without, you know, really wanting to do it but you're powerless to stop it?"

"I believe they call that 'rape' in many countries."

"Um, no, no, that's not what I…I mean I didn't- ugh!" Why was it so hard to tell her? Why was it so hard to tell her that I'm afraid I might lose my virginity on someone that I'd rather die that to ever be with?! "I was…thinking…something along the lines of s-seduction… Of being, um, 'persuaded' or 'convinced' of doing something which you otherwise wouldn't dream of doing if not for-"

"Kaoru Kamiya there's something you're holding back from me, out with it!"

In a rush, I let it all out. "I-think-Sanosuke-Sagara-is-out-to-seduce-me-and-I-might-not-be-able-to-resist-or-say-no-to-him-if-he-starts-making-advances-which-is-a-problem-because-I-don't-REALLY-want-to-do-_it_-with-him-because-he's-the-completely-wrong-guy-to-do-it-with-so-what-am-I-going-to-do-Tomoe?"

"Oh," Tomoe murmured, sounding perplexed. "Well…that is a problem I can completely sympathize with. Sagara-san does have a way with women you know. I mean, it's quite uncanny how he always knows just what buttons to push or what strings to pluck to worm his way to a woman's heart…"

"You're telling me," I muttered as I moved towards my bedroom window. I looked out at my peaceful neighbourhood and sighed. "I mean, I thought I was impervious to his advances and all that, but it turns that that's only because I've only seen one side of him. At chem today, I totally freaked out because he suddenly became all sweet and courteous and romantic on me, and I almost-" I stopped, unable to continue. The dread of what nearly happened earlier filled my stomach with an iciness that seeped all the way to my toes.

Tomoe sounded worried too when she prompted, "You almost what, Kaoru?"

I tugged at my ponytail harder, jerking it repeatedly as anxiety built up inside me. "I almost gave in to the urge to kiss him…"

"You didn't!" she gasped. I coughed and thought it wise to point out, "Almost, Tomoe, I didn't –_actually_- do it. I just…you know…fancied for a while what it would feel like if I did…"

As I looked out of the window, I saw my mom's car arrive and pull into the driveway. But she wasn't alone. Behind her, a couple of minivans stopped in front of our house and people I recognized as my mom's employees started streaming out. Afterwards, I saw my mom lead them inside the house.

"Can I call you back later Tomoe. My mom arrived and she has some guests with her."

Tomoe said her goodbyes and I quickly tossed the phone to my bed. I hurried out of my room and went straight for the den. But before I could get there, I met my mother at the foot of the stairs with a flushed and happy look on her beautiful face. "Oh honey you're home," she breathed out cheerfully. "Where's Aoshi?"

I blushed slightly when I came to realize that I've been ignoring our special house guest lately. I didn't even see him this morning when I left the house to head for school. "Um, I don't think he's back from school yet," I answered evasively. "Mom, what's going on? What's with all these people?"

"Oh them." My mom laughed. She was obviously in a very good mood today. "We sealed a few multi-million contract today with some high-profile actors and actresses from Hollywood. They want my designs honey, isn't that great? That's why I invited all the people working under me, as well as a few friends and colleagues, to come and celebrate!"

"I'm happy for you mom." I smiled and hugged her. Afterwards, she invited me to join the festivities but I had to decline. "I have schoolwork to do."

So I returned to my room minutes later, picked up the cordless phone from my bed and dialled Tomoe's number. When she answered, I quickly told her the good news and she said she was happy for us.

It was weird having this conversation with Tomoe Yukishiro. It was like we want back to being best friends again. But I knew in my heart that I would never be able to easily forgive her for choosing Himura over me… It would take years and years before I'd learn to trust her fully again… But just the same though, it was rather nice having these friendly moments with her. It made me miss and yearn for the good 'ol days…

"So back to your problem with Sano," Tomoe injected after we shared a laugh over a fashion faux pas that some celebrity was seen in a year ago, back when we were still BFF. "I just had a thought Kaoru…would it really be so bad if you lose 'it' with him? I mean, he's a great friend and a funny guy you know. And you're almost seventeen years old. Don't you think it's time for you to…" she cleared her throat. "-Leave the innocence of childhood and go to the next stage in life?"

I sighed jadedly and took a moment to consider the question. After thinking about it for a few seconds, I started to answer her carefully. "Tomoe, I'm not going to lose my virginity just for the sake of losing it, okay? I'll do it when I'm ready and when I feel that the moment is perfect for me to finally give myself to someone I feel special with. And yeah…Sano can't be considered a bad option, him being a hottie and a pro and all that," I exhaled wearily. "But Tomoe…what ticks me off is the fact that Sano probably won't feel anything remarkable about the whole thing. He won't feel the same way that I'll feel after I lose my virginity. For him, I'll just be another conquest that he can finally write-off in his record book of debaucheries and such…and I can't live with that!"

"When I finally do it, I want the guy I shared it with to treat the moment as something profoundly exquisite, something sacred and sweet and beautiful, you know… The way everything felt when I had my first kiss with-"

I paused, aghast that I almost let that one secret slip. But what really shocked me was the realization that I DID feel those things when Kenshin kissed me; of how everything felt so beautiful and so perfect when we shared that intimate moment last night. When he wrapped his hands around my waist, and I rested my hands on his shoulders, everything seemed so right in the world. And even though that wasn't Kenshin's first time, the way he made me feel expressed just how special he treated the moment. In his arms he made me feel complete, he made me feel light-headed, he made me feel-

"Who?" Tomoe was squealing excitedly over the phone. "Who's the guy? Kaoru c'mon, you can't do this to me! You have to tell me who the guy is!"

There was someone knocking on my door and I uttered a mental prayer of thanks for the second timely intervention that day. "Hey Tomoe I gotta go, my mom probably needs my help with the party." And before she could protest any further, I pushed the call-end button and returned the receiver to the phone stand. "Coming," I hollered as I came to the door. "Mom do you-"

The question died as I stared into the pair of intense, coffee-coloured eyes that met my gaze. "Hey," Sano greeted as he suavely combed his hair back with his fingers. "Your mom allowed me to come up to your room since your house is packed downstairs. So can I come in?"

_Please kill me now!_

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**_Author's Notes:_** It's sembreak over here so I have some time to write…and…yes I know I've been in writing hibernation for –TOO- long… All I can say at this point and time is that, well, I'm really sorry… I also apologize if I haven't been responding to the messages some readers have sent me coz I've been really busy. Hopefully though, I can answer all your messages (and update one or two stories of mine) before classes start on Monday, November 6.

A little understanding goes a long way…


	15. unspoken but known

_Megumi was in a pretty good mood that day._

As the raven-haired, green-eyed beauty skipped merrily down the school front steps, she was feeling so excited over the information that she had just garnered from the reporter, Tsunan, that she knew nothing, and no-one, could possibly ruin her good mood. Not her failing grade in History, not her broken nose-

_-Not even the sight of the spiky-haired, resident casanova of Seirin High, Sanosuke Sagara…_

Sano pushed himself from his elbows, away from Megumi's car, when he saw her approach. With a smirk and a raised eyebrow, he whistled, "Lookin' good there babe. You look like you just won a million bucks."

Megumi's Cheshire-like grin didn't falter. "Well hello to you too, Sano. Popped a few cherries lately?"

She turned to the driver's side of her car and took out her keys from her glossy pink purse. Behind her, Sanosuke moved closer to her body until their legs bumped, and then proceeded to encircle her waist in a sensuous hold. Pulling her closer to him, he murmured huskily in her ear, "That really hurts me Meg. Why won't you believe me when I tell you that you're the only girl I ever think about?"

Laughing derisively, she pushed him away. "When you're grinding your groin against every specimen possessing the double X chromosome- how can I ever?"

Normally, Sanosuke's unwanted advances would have instantly irritated Megumi_…which was a problem because Sanosuke was always coming on to her._ This must be because of the fact that, aside from Kaoru Kamiya, she was the only girl in Seirin High who didn't give a damn about him. Yuri and Sayo both have secret crushes on him (more extreme on the latter), and even Tomoe harboured some secret admiration for the Sagara jerk at some point in her life, but Megumi never became a member of his fan club._ She came close_, but never entered that point of no return. And because of that, Sanosuke had been forever after her and had been seducing her every chance he got- but to no avail.

His apparent ineffectiveness in luring Takani to his bed wasn't because she didn't find him attractive. Good grief, no sane girl could ever proclaim such an abominable thing. And his expertise in bed was the stuff of legends (or so she heard)._ So why wouldn't Megumi succumb to his advances?_

"_She's such a plain, boring girl. I wouldn't be caught dead dating her."_

Looking at Sanosuke's wolfish grin now as he trapped her against her car door, she seriously doubted that the moron remembered what he had for lunch yesterday-_ much less an incident that happened eons ago_, back when both of them were still awkward pre-pubescents. It was that single, hateful declaration that changed Megumi's world and propelled her to an almost overnight popularity. For what most students of Seirin High didn't know was that queen bee Megumi Takani_ –with her sultry good looks, perpetual arrogance and nasty attitude-_ was pretty much a no-name loser back in middle school. If she hadn't changed her image when she entered high school, Megumi would have had been at the same par with Kaoru Kamiya today_- and that was the frank truth!_

Megumi used to study in a different school in another town back in elementary and all the way to junior high. Her father had a job transfer in THIS town right after graduation so she was all set to enter freshman year in Seirin High.

Megumi had been a painfully reserved kid; not shy or bashful- just an inherent desire to be alone most of the time. Because of this, she wasn't popular in her town, and thus, had no desire to cultivate the looks of one who should be. She used to think that she was happy with this setup. But as fate soon made her realize, she was wrong…

One day at the mall, just a week before her new school opened, she found her handbag slashed and her wallet gone. Without money for fare or even for a call home, and in a strange new town where she didn't know anyone who could help her, she was soon growing watery-eyed and desperate._ It was at that moment of need that Sanosuke first came into her life…_

Playing the perfect hero, Sanosuke offered his handkerchief after he noticed her tears. And after much coaxing, he managed to get her to tell him what the problem was. And true to his superman image, he offered her a ride home when he found out that they both happened to live in the same neighbourhood.

_What happened next were Megumi's most bitter memories…_ That day at the mall wasn't their last meeting. In the next few days that progressed before school started, they frequently hung out at each other's houses, playing games, talking, goofing around, and doing just about everything that close friends do. Megumi, despite herself, knew what was happening and she didn't stop it. She knew she was changing and that there would be no turning back to the world of solitude that she once cherished…_but she didn't care._ She knew she was beginning to feel something deeper for Sanosuke too, but she didn't care for that either. What she only cared about during those hazy yet vivid moments of utter happiness and tranquillity was for those days not to end, and for Sanosuke to never ever leave her.

_She should have known that she wasn't living in a fairytale world to expect a 'happily ever after'._

School opened and high school life started. First day and Sanosuke never tried to talk to her or even approach her. It was at the end of her last class, when she was hunting him down, that she saw him with Kenshin. And before she could fully reveal herself, Kenshin started to talk.

"Really?" Young Kenshin Himura quirked a playful eyebrow up at Sanosuke. Grinning, he added, "So you're saying I shouldn't ask that new girl, Megumi Takani, out on a date?"

"Damn straight!"

"And why not? She's cute."

And at this, Megumi heard the words that would turn her world upside-down…

"She's such a plain, boring girl." Sano laughed and stretched his arms behind his back. "I wouldn't be caught dead dating her."

"But I saw you with her three days ago."

"Bored, 'ol friend," Sano pointed to himself, rolling his eyes. "Nothing better to do. She's an okay chick, but not worth the effort for a full-fledged conquest. Know what I mean?"

They didn't notice her footsteps as she slinked away, choking back the tears she wouldn't let go. Eventually, she went home with her eyes dry but with a heart full of misery. That day, the old Megumi Takani died and was replaced with an emotion that took a persona of its own- pride and hate._ She wanted revenge!_ She wanted to prove to Sanosuke that he was wrong._ She wanted to prove to herself that she was worth more that what he thought of her!_ So, as soon as her heart wouldn't cry anymore, she got up from her bed, marched towards her closet, and started removing every piece of clothing that she ever possessed. She also dumped every childish memorabilia and articles of her past life that now disgusted her. And when nothing was left, she started to fill her life with the things that would redefine her…_things that eventually turned her to the haughty royalty of Seirin High's social hierarchy that she was now famously known._ And all these things happened because she made the stupid mistake of_ –almost-_ giving her heart to the guy who had the littlest regard for it.

_And that was why Sanosuke would never –EVER- have a chance in heaven with her!_

"Sano," Megumi started as she placed both hands on his chest to push him away. "I'm in a good mood today, so be a good boy and don't ruin it for me- 'kay?"

"Au contraire, mademoiselle," Sanosuke quipped with a sweep of his hand around her waist. "I think I can make you even more-."

"Don't you have some virgin waiting in your bed or something?" She manoeuvred herself out of his grip and started to open her car door. Once she was seated on the driver's side, she followed up that line of thought with a- "If you go and have your way with her now, that will make me really happy."

Sanosuke began to look confused. "Am I missing something here Meg? Who are you referring to?"

The green-eyed vixen raised an eyebrow. "You're such a conceited ass, Sagara. I know you eat little innocents for breakfast, but I'm talking about the latest ditz that's been heating up your pants."

"Get to the point Takani."

She knew she got him; he was irritated now. Sanosuke hated it when people play mind games on him._ Well that was perfectly understandable,_ Megumi mused,_ if you don't have a mind to be played with in the first place._

"The point here daahhliing," she crooned. "Is your best friend's dorky new girlfriend that got you that broken nose last night."

At this, Sagara started to laugh. "You're kidding right?" he mocked. "Kaoru Kamiya?" When he saw that she was serious, he started to laugh even louder. "Oh no, no, no! No way am I touching that territory! Not even with a ten-foot pole!" He started to laugh sarcastically. "It was all fine and whatever when I didn't know that she's Kenshin's new girl. But now that I do, no chick -or chem. grade- is worth ruining a friendship."

"You talk as if Kenshin would actually fight for her," Megumi sniffed. "If I remember correctly, you and Kenshin used to share and discard girlfriends like two hobos sharing and disposing cardboard boxes."

"Used to, Meg," he corrected. "Ever since Tomoe came, I've been a pretty good boy, or haven't you noticed? See, by principle, I don't play around with any of my chum's girlfriends- unless of course, that said chum himself gave me the go signal." He wagged a finger in front of her. "And from what I can see, Kenshin's pretty tight with this one, so Kamiya is obviously off-limits."

Megumi's lips curled into a sneer. She got out of her car, placed her hands on her hips, and gave him a challenging look. "What if I can prove to you that they're not as tight as they seem to be, will you give her a shot then?"

Sanosuke's expression became confused and Megumi slowly pulled out three photographs from her purse. She handed it to him and watched as a different play of emotions passed over Sanosuke's face while looking at the pictures. After a while, Sano raised his head and his expression was deadly serious when he asked, "Where, when and how EXACTLY did you get all of these?"

Megumi snatched the photos away and waved it in front of his face. "That doesn't matter or concern you! All that matters is what these pictures prove."

The muscles on Sanosuke's jaw visibly clenched and tightened. In a voiceless whisper, he said, "She wouldn't do this to Himura…"

"You don't know her well enough to be the judge of that."

"Enishi wouldn't hurt Kenshin-"

"Why wouldn't he? Kenshin dumped his beloved twin sister after all."

This gave him pause. After a long moment, with Sanosuke obviously grappling with himself, and with Megumi grinning quietly with victory, he started to speak in a low voice, "I have to go."

And after that whispered declaration, he turned on his heel and hurriedly left. Megumi watched his disappearing form with glee, and turned her attention to the pictures once more.

The first photograph was taken two days ago when Kaoru fainted after drinking the lemonade Megumi laced with sleeping potion. In the photo, Kaoru was being carried in Enishi's embrace while they were in the middle of a hallway. It wasn't really much the act of them holding each other that way than how Enishi was looking at her placid face. There was too much emotion there on the usually stoic Yukishiro male. Kaoru's eyes were closed, as if sleeping, and the way Enishi held her with so much care and how his eyes bore on her small figure spoke for itself. It was such an emotive picture that anyone who would see Enishi's expression would instantly assume that he was feeling some strong sentiments for the Kamiya girl.

Megumi made a face._ She didn't really care whether Enishi had secret feelings for Kamiya or not._ She wasn't interested in Yukishiro-san anyway. But it disgusted her nonetheless that anyone would actually be interested in someone like Kaoru Kamiya. Shaking her head, Megumi moved on to the next picture which was taken only this afternoon, and found the image of Kaoru looking intensely at Enishi in the cafeteria. The way she looked at him with barefaced admiration pretty much summed up what the previous photograph hinted at.

The last picture sealed it all: Enishi and Kaoru in the parking lot two days ago, with Kaoru wearing Enishi's varsity jacket. It was the scene after Tsunan confronted Kaoru and was saved by Enishi. There was a look of bliss on her face, and Yukishiro himself was wearing a tender expression._ It was all very clear now…_

_They both had feelings for each other_, Megumi and Tsunan had both deduced when the latter presented the photographs earlier. And now, their dirty little secret would soon hit the fan once Tsunan got the presses rolling.

Megumi tucked the photos back inside her purse and went inside her car. After starting the engine, she glanced up at the rear-view mirror and caught the pleased smile etched on her lips. Cocking an eyebrow, she turned on her car stereo and hummed to the music of 'Wait A Minute' by the Pussycat Dolls as she exited the school parking lot.

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

"May I come in?"

Funny how such a small sentence could hold a lot of meaning. Funnier even, when the answer to that statement could mean your life or even…well…your doom.

Okay, so I'm being overly-dramatic here again._ Bite me!_

I smiled tightly at Sanosuke Sagara before giving a muttered reply. "Will you excuse me for a moment?"

I didn't even wait for an answer as I quickly closed the door. Pressing the speed dial, I pushed the phone receiver next to my ear and waited for Tomoe to answer. Once I heard the audible click of the phone being picked up, I made a tiny scream followed by, "Tomoe!!! He's here!"

"W-who?" Tomoe was obviously surprised by my whispered squeal. "Who's there?"

I began fanning my hand to my face and closed my eyes tight. "Sagara's here! Oh God what am I going to do? What am I going to do?!?"

"Okay Kaoru calm down- I said calm down for Pete's sake!" Tomoe was beginning to share my panic as her voice rose. I moved away from the door so that Sanosuke wouldn't hear from the other side. "This is not some psychopath rapist Kaoru, so relax!" Tomoe admonished none-too-gently. "Get a grip!"

"B-but Tomoe, my problem-?!"

She sighed wearily. "Just entertain him for a few minutes, 'kay? I'll think of something to bail you out of that situation."

And before I could ask her what her idea was, I heard the line go down. I brought the phone away from my face and stared at it disbelief._ How could Tomoe do this to me?!?_ She hanged up on me when she knew of my –VERY- dire predicament._ Now what am I going to do???_

Before I could think of anything else, I heard a knock on my door, followed by Sanosuke's voice. "Kamiya-san, are you alright in there? I thought I heard a scream-?"

"I-I'm fine," I hastily answered him lest he'd think that something really happened to me and he'd bust the door open. With a shudder, I unlocked the door and opened it for him. I gave Sanosuke another tight smile before speaking, "I had a call waiting…so I, I, I just had to answer." My smile grew tighter and tighter by the second. "Sorry about that…"

Sano gave a half-grin in return before stepping forward inside my room. His eyes roamed my entire bedroom for three minutes before his sights settled on me once more. "Cosy," was his short description.

I placed a hand on the doorknob as my brain raced to find a way to escape him and my imminent doom. "You know what Sagara-san? I don't think my room is a conducive environment for studying, I mean, with all my junk and all. S-s-so maybe we should, you know, do this in the living room where it's-"

Loud music started to blare out from below. Sano lifted an eyebrow and finished my sentence for me. "-Noisy."

I clapped my hands together as if I was struck by a brilliant idea. "The public library then!"

At this, Sano began to chuckle. "Kamiya-san, I'm having this very distinct feeling that you're trying to get me out of your room." He folded his arms to his chest for added effect. "And I wonder why…?"

I instantly coughed in embarrassment. My mouth opened to protest, but my mind couldn't think fast enough for a plausible excuse. So in the end, I decided that maybe telling the truth would make me look pathetic enough for him to pity me. So breathing out slowly, I answered, "Y-yeah…"

A pleasant-sounding rumble started in his throat before it fully resonated into a deep, baritone laughter. With a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, he moved closer and tapped my left cheek lightly with his index finger. "You're not…afraid of me, are you?"

I blushed at his touch. "A-a bit…" I admitted in a small voice.

He smirked. "Smart girl," Sano responded in a slightly husky voice. His hand movements slowly turned to an open-palmed caress on my face. His fingers settled on my chin and his thumb grazed my lower lip softly. His other hand reached out and took my glasses off of my face. "Really…really…smart…"

He started to lean over and my mind processed his actions with the speed of a sedated bear high on crack. Dimly, I knew what he was about to do, but I was unable to stop him. Deep inside my brain, I screamed bloody murder for a way out of this mess. Externally though, I could hardly blink_- much less run away and escape!_ So with wide, frightened eyes, I watched and waited (with increasing dread) as Sanosuke lowered his lips to meet mine-

_-And at that moment someone up there in heaven decided that He actually liked me, and sent a timely intervention…_

The phone receiver started ringing in my hand, momentarily reminding me that I was still holding onto it, and it instantly broke the trance my body was trapped in. With knee-jerk reflex, I raised the phone to my ears_- only for it to hit Sanosuke's chin with a resounding 'crack'!_

"Ooooowwww!!!!" Sano wailed, falling to the floor flat on his butt. "Geezzuusss-" he yelled again, "-Cccchhrriizz!" Horrified, I watched as blood started to trickle from the wound, and when Sanosuke realized this too, his cries became louder. "Oh holy mother of-! It's bleeding!"

Okay, for the record I would have actually laughed at the situation if only I was thinking clearly enough. Unfortunately, I wasn't. So the humour of it all was totally lost to me._ I didn't know what to do!_ I knelt to the floor and tried to reach out for him. "I-I-I-I'm so-so sorry!" The phone continued to ring in my hand. "Sagara-san I-"

Between Sagara's yelling and the insistent ringing of that damn phone, I got so frazzled that I did the first and easiest thing that came into my mind. Quickly, I pushed the answer button on the receiver and barked, "Whaaat!?!"

"Well I guess I deserve that," came the mellow response from a familiar voice.

Surprisingly, my heartbeat slowed to a normal thump and some of my anxiety seemed to just dissipate away upon hearing Kenshin's soft voice. Grabbing the phone with both of my hands now, I started to apologize to him, "U-um no, no, no it's not you. You didn't do anything. I'm just a little-"

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

That affectionate timbre in his voice had an instantaneous calming effect on me that was almost uncanny. I relaxed visibly and smiled beside myself. "I-I'm… I'm fine, thanks for asking. But Sanosuke-"

I exhaled wearily and returned my attention to my chemistry partner once more. Judging by the way he was looking at himself in the mirror at my bureau and at his bruised chin, I knew he was going to kill me later on for that. "Can you-" I hesitated a bit. "C-can you come over here. I think I'm going to need some help."

"Is your mom home?"

"Y-yes," I hedged. "But don't worry, you can sneak your way in. She's having a party and there are lots of people here right now so I don't think she'll notice you."

"I'll be there in five or ten then."

I sighed and pushed the call-end button. Tossing the phone to my bed, I raised myself to my feet and walked up to Sanosuke. "I-I'm just, just going to get something to bandage that up, 'k? I won't be long…"

Sanosuke didn't seem to hear me but I didn't bother to repeat what I said. With a hand holding my forehead, I left my room and slowly trekked downstairs towards the first floor bathroom. I really didn't have to go there for medical supplies because my own bathroom's medicine cabinet had the things I needed. It was just that…_I didn't think I could handle being in the same room with Sanosuke Sagara for another minute longer._ The man was proving to be a frustration even bigger than Kenshin had ever been in my life- and that, my friend, spoke for itself; knowing how deeply I used to hate Himura…

At that note, I realized that I'm actually lucky that I didn't have to pretend to be Sanosuke's girlfriend or anything._ Kenshin was a much, much nicer guy than him ten times over!_

As I made my way back to my room, gauze and bottle of antiseptic in hand, I had time to ponder about these things. Lately, Kenshin was becoming more and more bearable to be around. Unlike before when the mere mention of his name could make me shudder or burst into tears…now…after he avoided me the whole day, I couldn't deny anymore that I became upset with him and with myself because I realized that I didn't feel altogether normal without him by my side.

I paused abruptly by the foot of the staircase and one of my mom's guests almost collided with me from behind. I apologized and he turned away gruffly, but I didn't mind him. My mind was somewhere else…_ Reminiscing a certain memory that slowly warmed my entire being…_

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

…Last night, when Kenshin brought me home after the 'SwingBeat' party, we stopped by my front gate to say our goodbyes. Both of us were too awkward to say anything else; the memory of the kiss we shared earlier served as a barrier that none of us were willing to destroy just yet. We were safe in our mutual silence;_ safe from the emotions that threatened to engulf us both…_

"Good night," I whispered with my head averted so that I wouldn't have to meet his eyes. I slowly pushed the gate open and murmured, "Thank you for bringing me home…"

Kenshin looked grim and he seemed to be scrutinizing my cheerless face. "Kaoru…about what happened earlier-"

"Goodnight Himura-san."

I moved quickly to get to the other side of the gate, thus cutting him off before he could start with the subject that I've been desperately trying to block out of my mind since we left the school. But before I could close the gate on him, he extended his hand through the bars and stopped my arm. When I stared up at him in puzzlement, I saw that his expression was so dark that I could hardly make out his features anymore.

"Kenshin, what are you-"

"Stop pitying yourself!"

"What?"

"You're not boring, you're not ugly," He answered passionately. "You're not stupid and you're not worthless! Sanosuke, Megumi, those other people-" he paused and I saw him swallow. "They're the ones who disgust me, Kaoru! They're the ones who-who-who are completely useless!" He was stuttering and I was amazed by it. "They don't know what they're talking about. They can't even see, can't even-"

And then he faltered.

"Kenshin…" A tear threatened to fall from my left eye as he continued to hold my wrist through the iron bars._ How did he know?_ How did he know that this was exactly what was bothering me since we left Seirin High? Throughout the drive home, I had time to think of the various insults that were thrown at me for the last six hours. But it wasn't just the insults I experienced today that weighed down heavily in my heart. It wasn't the fact that I'm plain and boring that pinched my chest with despair because I've already learned long ago to accept those things that made me…imperfect. It wasn't Megumi's bitchiness or Sanosuke's insensitivities, or the other students' inability to accept me… I became miserable because now I realized that-

_-I would never be good enough, nor smart enough (and most certainly beautiful enough) to deserve someone as nice and as wonderful as…Kenshin._

Though why that suddenly mattered to me, I didn't know. I was afraid to over-assess what I was feeling right now. Because doing so might lead me to an answer that I'm not, nor ever will be, ready to accept…

"You don't…you don't mean that," my voice hardly more than a whisper. "You…you're just being nice…"

Kenshin became silent after that. I blinked once, twice, and two teardrops fell. He caught my tears with his thumb before it could reach my chin. And with a frank and direct look, he replied with compassion_- and just a touch of disdain_: "You know, more than anyone else, that I'm_ –not-_ nice…"

For a few seconds, I just stared at him with disbelieving eyes and red cheeks; mutely gauging his words._ I wanted oh so much to believe him, to believe that he was being sincere._ But…if I started believing his seeming kindness now and his encouraging words,_ then I wouldn't be able to stop my heart from fal-_

I pulled away from his hold and walked a few steps back. I inhaled deeply and successively, steadying myself, while my hands closed into fists at my sides._ Sure, Kenshin was kind now. But what would happen once everything was over?_ Once this pretence thing was finished, and after the school play concluded, would he revert to his old, hurtful ways as a bully? Would he go back to teasing me mercilessly like he always did before this whole charade started? Would he return to being my…enemy?

And then I realized something. Beneath those bleak musings and silent misery was a thought that was more unbearable than the others before…

Tomoe…

There was no denying the fact that they would resume their relationship once more after this set-up was over. And once they were back together,_ I'd be alone again…_

I choked on air.

"Goodnight Kenshin…" I murmured with a shadow of a smile on my lips. "See you tomorrow at school."

I quickly turned around so that I wouldn't see his reaction._ I didn't want to feel anymore…_

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

…I opened my eyes and realized that I had zoned off right in the middle of the hallway and in front of the staircase. I caught sight of my mom across the living room shooting me a worried glance, while I heard some people whispering behind me, saying how strange I was. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I returned my mom's stare with a reassuring smile before going up the stairs. By the time I returned to my room, my smile was gone and was now replaced with a depressed frown.

Sanosuke looked up from his reflection when I entered my room. He was still sitting in front of my bureau and inspecting his wound through the mirror. With an annoyed scowl, he growled out, "Took you long enough."

I tossed the bottle and the bandage gauze to him, unfazed by his newfound grumpiness. Suddenly, he didn't look so sexy or as irresistible as he had been minutes ago. What I saw, instead, was a pathetic man trying to prove he was worth anything by trampling on other peoples' self-esteem. But I couldn't hate him for this. He was far too pathetic to waste my anger on. All I have now for him was pity and mild irritation.

Crossing my arms to my chest, I told him flatly, "Leave."

At first, he didn't seem to hear me as he proceeded to dab some medicine on his wound. So with an exasperated sigh, I marched up towards him and gave his shirtsleeve a hard tug. "I said leave, you big ape!"

"What?" He turned around with a confused look. "What are you doing? Let go of my shirt!!!"

My hands landed on my hips in a stern pose. "I want you to leave my room and my house right now! Forget about this, forget about chemistry! Tomorrow, I'm going to ask Prof. Anji for a new partner!"

I turned away impatiently, unable to stomach his presence for even just one second more, so I didn't see Sanosuke's expression after hearing my declaration. But after just a split second, I heard him stand up and his right hand reached out and touched my shoulder. "K-Kaoru I'm sorry if I yelled at you earlier, but that doesn't mean-"

"Oh please!" I snapped as I slapped his hand away. Moving back, I told him in an annoyed voice, "I'm tired Sagara, okay? Tired of you trying to get into my pants, and tired of two-faced jerks and liars like you! You think you're being smart and original by seducing me to get a high chem. grade? Well listen up buddy- you're not!" At this point my voice had escalated to a shout, but I didn't care. "I never fell for that trick, and I have no intentions of falling for that now! So find yourself another geeky, gullible virgin to pass your chemistry for you, because let me tell you this," At this, my face reddened even more in preparation for an outburst that I didn't want him to EVER forget. "-I may be geeky_ and a virgin_ but I'm certainly not gullible or stupid! So stop bothering me already!" And as an afterthought, I hissed out, "-asshole!"

If I wasn't so caught up in the heat of the moment, I would have burst out in laughter upon seeing Sanosuke Sagara's expression. His (bruised) chin was hanging open in shock, and all the suaveness and machismo that he usually exuded was gone. He raised his index finger, as if to protest, but when he saw my hard, unflinching gaze he decided to back down and let it be.

Slowly, he straightened up and he started for the door. But before he could make his exit, he paused and seemed to be thinking about something. Finally he turned his head and cocked an eyebrow down at me. "Well you must be so proud of yourself." He looked like a peeved child who had just been denied candy. "You're actually the only girl who managed to humiliate me like this."

I gave him a weary look before my hands proceeded to massage my temples. "Just…go Sagara, okay? Go before you give me a migraine."

"You know…" A smile started to tug at the corners of his lips. "I actually find your resistance a turn-on…"

"You're an insufferable pervert." I exhaled jadedly, too spent to snap or shout anymore. "I'm not playing hard to get here, so I advise you to get yourself turned-off right now. Kenshin is coming over and I don't want him to see you with me."

"Okay, okay I'll leave," Sanosuke chuckled good-naturedly with palms raised in a gesture of defeat. "I guess that answers my question." He smiled.

I scrunched my forehead curiously. "What question?"

He shrugged and dug his hands deep into his pants pockets. "-That you really DO like Kenshin."

"Wow! All this seduction gimmick just to prove that I'm really in love with your best friend?" I intoned sweetly with heavy sarcasm. "That is SO sweet of you Sagara. I mean, for you to care for your friend like that is so nice and divine of you-" then my smile turned to a frown, "-now leave."

"It's so good to be appreciated for a job well done," Sano shared my sarcasm with a wicked grin. But suddenly, his expression turned pensive and he pinned me with a serious look. "So I guess…this means that Enishi is nothing to you, right?"

My head snapped up and I uttered, "What-"

"-Does Enishi have to do with her?"

Both Sanosuke and I looked up and saw Kenshin standing at my bedroom doorway, blocking Sano's way, and finishing my question for me. The cheerful greeting I was about to give him died in my throat when I took note of his appearance. He wasn't looking very friendly at the moment. Matter of fact, there was a cloud of suspicion on his face that was quite unnerving as he shot his friend a speculative look. "Bro, your chin is bleeding."

"Oh? Oh!" Sagara seemed to remember his injury and dashed towards my bathroom without even consulting me first. I squeaked out a protest but there was nothing I could do to stop him. Instantly, Sanosuke locked himself inside and so I was left alone with Kenshin. Strangely, I didn't find his presence as comforting as before… Not when he was looking at me like I'm guilty of some horrible crime or something.

I crossed my arms to my chest once more and tried to equal his chilly casualness. "So…you came," I started, nodding my head like an idiot for no reason.

He arched an eyebrow, and a grin started to play over his lips. And instantly, I knew that the cold indifference was gone and he was back to his normal self. I let out a sigh of relief before returning his smile. "I thought you'd never come…"

Kenshin stepped closer and brushed a playful punch across my left cheek. With a teasing light behind his eyes, he asked, "Order a sushi deluxe for me and I'll be sure to give him a good pounding later." He noticed my slightly flushed look and he became quite serious again. "Hey, what's wrong? What did he do to you? I swear I'll kick his ass from here to-"

I chuckled nervously and started to assure him before he could get violent. "No, no I'm fine. Thanks for asking. Don't worry about Sagara. I think I kicked his ass hard enough for today. If he tries to annoy me again tomorrow, you can have your turn."

We shared a grin suppressed with laughter when Sanosuke finally came out of my bathroom with his chin wound plastered. When he saw our naughty smiles, he became wary. "You've been talking about me, haven't you?"

"Probably…" I teased.

"No." Kenshin replied seriously instead. I was amazed at how 'my' boyfriend could quickly change from mischievous cheerfulness in one minute, to formal casualness in the next. Not even I, an aspiring actress, could psyche myself up to alter emotions that rapidly. "We were wondering what Enishi has got to do with Kaoru. Care to explain?"

Sanosuke turned grim too, and that made me worry more. The situation must really be grave if even playful Sanosuke Sagara couldn't find something to poke fun about it. "Kenshin," his spiky-haired friend began. "I think Megumi is planning something…"

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"I'm a little afraid…"

I couldn't help but whisper these words when the emotion felt too heavy in my chest to keep silent. Lying on the bed next to me, Kenshin held my right hand and squeezed it encouragingly. Without breaking eye contact from the ceiling, he replied, "Don't be. It's just Megumi."

"But she's obviously been watching me to be able to get those photos," I told him in a voice that barely concealed my anxiety. Suddenly, an even more fearful idea came to me and I gasped. "What if she's there whenever we're-"

_-The times that Kenshin and I fought; the times when we let our guard down and we reveal the truth of our 'relationship'. What if Megumi saw those careless moments too? Then…?!_

"She couldn't have, because then she would have had pictures of that too," he assured me before I could finish my sentence, thus putting my fears to rest (at least for the moment). "She's such a frustrating girl," Kenshin muttered as an afterthought. "Really! Upsetting people like this is just so-"

"She must really like you a lot to go through all this trouble just to destroy 'us'…" I replied dryly. "My, my… What could she have possibly seen in you to make her so obsessed?"

"Funny," Kenshin replied wryly and I squeaked when he pinched my hand. "She doesn't like me," my companion corrected me offhandedly. "She likes Sanosuke."

"Come again?"

I turned my face to look at his profile with a bit of a frown on my lips. Kenshin's violet eyes were thoughtful as he continued to stare directly ahead. The way his fingers stroked my closed fist remained the same: hypnotic, rhythmic… But his voice revealed a touch of irritation. "They're both morons," he declared in a dispassionate voice. "They both go and fool around with other people, saying they're not in love with the other, when all they do is just cut each other deep with the things that they say and the things that they do…"

"Wow! That's deep," I giggled. "Care to translate in English?"

Kenshin finally turned around and looked at me with an impish grin on his face. "See, Megumi is always telling people that she likes me. And Sano is always on the prowl for young, new, um…"

I laughed and gave him a light slap on the shoulder, with a warning, "Don't you dare mince words!"

"Alright!" he laughed too. "-New…meat. Hey don't look at me like that; even I have sensibilities you know. Anyway, where was I?" He became a bit thoughtful, and then he remembered. "But if you've been friends with Sano and Meg for as long as Tomoe and I have been with them, then you'll see that…through the hurtful words and the blatant, over-sexed flirting with other people, deep down inside they really DO care for each other. They care-"

Kenshin squeezed my hand a bit harder to reinforce his next statement. "-SO MUCH that they're afraid… Afraid that the magnitude of their feelings for each other will be their own ruin if they confess about it. It's a pathetic story, really. Romantic, I guess for some people, but over-all frustrating if you ask me."

He turned to stare at the ceiling again before sighing. "They're so hopeless…"

After that little tirade, I was actually a bit speechless. After all,_ who would've thought of Sagara and Takani as two overly insecure would-have-been-lovers that were too afraid of their own feelings for each other to confront the truth, and thus, hurting themselves with lies in the process_. "So basically," I began, although a little hesitantly. "What you're saying here is that they're both-"

"Idiots."

"Well, can't argue with that logic." I laughed heartily. "But that's not going to solve our dilemma now, is it? So here's an idea: what if we help them with their problem, you know? Like, set them up or something. Then they'll surely stop bothering us."

"Play cupid to Sanosuke Sagara and Megumi Takani?" Kenshin scoffed then stared at me. "That's like going on a suicide mission Kaoru. They-" at this, he made the quotation marks gesture with his fingers, "-HATE each other. They go around every day insulting one another just to see who would bleed more. They'll never let it happen!"

I quirked my lips to the side, a bit thoughtful. "Well…we hated each other before, didn't we? Back then, we would never even consider talking civilly to each other, much less talk the way we're talking right now…" I looked away and turned my sights to the ceiling. "But look at us! We have a relationship now, and it's all because-"

Suddenly, an idea struck me, and I had reason to believe that Kenshin thought of this very same idea too because we turned to look at each other simultaneously, with realization evident in both of our expressions. Kenshin raised himself from the bed on his elbows and opened his mouth to speak first. "Are you saying that we should…blackmail them or something?" A mischievous grin started to tear at his lips.

I was smiling now too. "Yeah! Why not?"

"It could work."

"It worked for us."

"Yeah it did."

Kenshin gazed down at me and I stared up at him excitedly; wicked grins were both on our faces. I bit down my lower lip to stop the laughter that was threatening to erupt from my mouth. "Stop looking at me like that!" I chided him with a giggle. "You're making me feel…evil!"

He smirked after that. "You're a very, very naughty girl Kaoru, did you know that?"

"I'm beginning to."

"I like you naughty, you know…"

My heart missed a beat and I momentarily stopped breathing. And just like that, the playful and friendly atmosphere was gone, only to be replaced by a heavy air that felt too sexual for comfort. The two of us alone in my bedroom, with the door closed, both of us on top of my bed, and with Kenshin looming above me while I shivered underneath, I suddenly became painfully aware of my lack of experience with the opposite sex. My lips struggled to move; struggled to fill the silence that would envelope us completely if left unchecked. I was afraid that if this moment of quiet was prolonged, then something else would have to start happening to fill the stillness.

_I couldn't let it happen!_

"Kaoru…" Kenshin murmured as he started to lower his head. "I-"

Just before his lips grazed mine, I spoke out loud the first words that popped into my head:

"_Do you think Enishi likes me?"_

The effect of those words on Kenshin was so instantaneous that I almost laughed._ Almost._ He jerked his head back and his brows furrowed at the middle of his forehead. "Why-" he asked me in a none-too-gentle voice. "-Are you asking that?"

Now I'm embarrassed. I mean, of all the far-fetched ideas I could blurt out, this one about Enishi could be the most absurd of them all! "I, I'm not saying that he does, err, like me," I stuttered, face reddening. "It's just that, that-"

_-That was the first thing I could think off to stop you from kissing me again!!!_

Amazingly, Kenshin began to look amused. "So you said that to distract me?"

What? What was he talking about?_ Did I say my last thought out loud?_

"Yes you did." Now he looked like he was about to laugh._ Dammit!_

He was outright laughing now, seeing my red face and flustered state. In retaliation, I threw a pillow at him and barked, "Oh shut up and get out of my bed! You're such an ass."

He caught the pillow and threw it back at me. "And if I don't want to leave? A boyfriend has certain rights with his girlfriend you know."

I seized the pillow and prepared to throw it at him again. "That doesn't include bedroom rights, you pervert! And I-"

I squealed when in mid-throw, Kenshin used that moment to tackle me down. He then proceeded to tickle me all over while I (ineffectively) tried to fend him off. "S-stop it! Y-you im-m-mature jerk!" I wheezed, laughing in a way that hurts. "K-Ken-n-shin Him-m-mura!!!"

He managed to pin me down and I looked up at his looming figure with flushed cheeks and tears in my eyes due to the over-exertion. I snarled in between giggles, "You…" I wheezed. "Are…so-"

…By the time I realized that he wasn't holding down my wrists anymore, I didn't move to push him away. The room became quiet save for the erratic beating of our hearts. There were no more smiles anymore, no light touches, no tender teasing. Confusion was on his face as he reached down to touch my cheek.

"How is it," he began, "-that I never noticed before…?"

His fingers grazed my lips.

Slowly and with much difficulty, I pulled myself up to a sitting position and Kenshin's hand fell to his side. He looked troubled, confused and…and I couldn't read the other emotion that made his eyes look…_hungry._ I wanted to know what he meant by those words, but didn't want to make the situation any more uncomfortable than what was necessary. So with difficulty, I started to speak. "About Enishi…I think we should talk to him about those photos that Sano told us about."

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that."

I smiled when I noted that Kenshin was trying his best to go back to normal too; to make the atmosphere less tense and the conversation more ordinary like it had been minutes before. Getting back on track, I nodded my affirmation. "I'm thinking that he might have some idea as to where Megumi got those pictures from. Coz the way I see it, Takani-san didn't get those photos on her own…"

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

I had been waiting in Kenshin's car for almost fifteen minutes now. The car was parked just a few meters away from the Yukishiro's front gate. Earlier, I agreed that Kenshin should go there on his own because if anyone from Seirin High spotted him in that place, at least he could always use the excuse that he was only around to see Enishi since they were still friends even after Kenshin's supposed split with Tomoe. I, on the other hand, have no plausible excuse as to why I should be in the area, so we both decided that I wait it out instead.

But after waiting in his car for practically like forever (hey, fifteen minutes could feel exactly like that when you're just sitting around, twiddling your thumbs), I've decided that I couldn't sit there for one minute longer. So with the knowledge of Tomoe's backyard lay-out still in my mind, I made my way to the back of the white-washed Yukishiro home, climbed over the vine-covered walls easily, took the secret backdoor key under the loose floorboards, and let myself inside the house.

I entered the house through the kitchen and noted the lack of activity in the main floor. Thinking it was all clear, I entered the living room and called out in a low voice, "Kenshin? Tomoe? You guys…?" When my whispers went unanswered, I stared at the stairway leading to the second floor and raised my voice just a bit louder. "Hey…Anyone home?"

I climbed the stairs and headed directly towards Tomoe's room. It was a hasty action, done without thought, so I was utterly unprepared for what I saw next.

I froze in my tracks when the slightly ajar door leading to Tomoe's bedroom gave me a peek of what the couple was doing inside that engrossed them so much that they didn't even hear me calling them or walking towards them. And my heart clenched painfully inside my chest at the sight before me.

Kenshin and Tomoe were in a tight embrace, kissing fiercely and so passionately that I think I could've screamed the house down and they still wouldn't notice my presence. Tomoe was tugging at his shirt, trying to pull him down to the bed, but Kenshin remained standing, unwilling to move. But just the same, he overwhelmed her like there's no tomorrow…

…Like they were the only two people on earth…

…Like I didn't exist at all…

I took a step back while pressing a hand tightly against my lips._ Dammit, what am I feeling?_ Why did I feel like the whole world was virtually crumbling down on me and I couldn't breathe? I couldn't stand it! I…I didn't want…want this…emotion!!! Someone please make this stupid…choking…pain stop!

_Oh God…_

I turned around and practically flew down the stairs in an attempt to escape that place as fast as I can. But before I reached the foot of the stairs, I saw Enishi staring up at me and his penetrating gaze nailed me on the spot.

For one agonizing minute we looked at each other, neither speaking nor blinking. He stood there, blocking my way while I fought desperately not to let my tears fall in front of him.

_Dammit!_ I'm not going to cry! I'm…not…going…to…cry! There was absolutely NO reason for me to do so! And yet-

And then it clicked… The way Enishi was looking at me, the way he watched as I struggled with myself in front of him, I realized then that…he knew.

_He knew my secret._ He knew our secret, Kenshin and mine… He knew about the play.

But…how?

"Tomoe…told you?" I began to speak, albeit hesitantly.

The way he shook his head was almost imperceptible. "No."

"Then Kenshin told."

"He didn't have to. I told you before how strange it was that you two suddenly hooked up after years of being arch-nemesis."

That silenced me.

…And then, his next words took me totally by surprise. "Are you falling in love with him?"

I knew what I should've done. I should've laughed at his face derisively, spat at the ground (carpeted floor actually) where he stood, and told him with a scoff: "Only if purple and orange flying pigs magically appear in the air and go to Neverland." But to my horror, my eyes stung even harder with repressed tears as my brain failed me. For a while I couldn't speak. But finally, I mumbled in a stuttering voice, "I…I h-have to go."

I started to walk and he stepped aside to give way. I didn't bother to go where I came from anymore and went straight for the front door. But before I could close it behind me, I heard Enishi call my name softly. I debated whether to answer him, or pretend to not have heard him at all. Fortunately (or maybe not), he didn't give me the time to think the matter over as he told me in a colourless voice, "You don't deserve him."

I took his words to mean that Kenshin was too good for the likes of me, so I simply sighed. "Please tell Kenshin that I'm going back to my house, 'k?"

When I finally closed the door on him, I had no idea then that my life was about to drastically change from that point on.

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**_A/N:_** I really suck when it comes to updating. And my excuse remains the same-_ studies and the hectic nature of 'reality'._ Guys, I'm really sorry for being such an ass-y (word?) writer… That is why I just try to make up for the spastic updating with the longevity of the chapters I upload. Still (sigh) I know this is not enough…

All that aside, I hope everyone will have a romantic, meaningful or otherwise wacky valentines day! (:D) A/K goodness is up ahead. Next chapter, I intend to explain Aoshi's secret life and his motives behind his actions. Hope you guys will hang on for that. (XP)


	16. everything changed

_**A/N: For maximum reading experience, I recommend listening to "First Kiss" by Aa! (and no that's not a typo). Full author's note below. **_

_**Oh, damn, I've been gone for so long I've forgotten how to upload. Baka!**_

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

"Good morning!" a voice greeted in my ear.

"What's so good about it?" I muttered darkly, pushing my glasses further up my nose and pulling my jacket tighter around my body.

_It was a gloomy Monday morning._ The heavens were filled with large, dark clouds that forewarned imminent rain_- lots of it_, within the next few hours; it might even be a typhoon or something. The wind was cold, biting, and it froze my fingers so much that I had to bury it deep inside my pockets before they'd quite literally snap off. Even the surrounding neighborhood was gray, listless, with the eerie sound of a distant crackle of thunder some way off to heighten the gloomy atmosphere. It was a picture out of a suspense thriller-slash-horror movie. Overall, Mother Nature was in one of her awful and ugly moods today, which coincidentally, happened to be in perfect sync with my own darkening disposition.

_Life's just great…_

Before today, I had a weekend of utter depression and rotten luck. Well to explain, everything just went downhill last Friday. As soon as I got home after leaving the Yukishiro's, I was greeted by a nearly empty house (my mom's celebratory party was already over) and a mother so livid with anger over my uninformed absence that I won the grand prize of all punishments for this year: grounded for _A MONTH_!

Imagine: no TV, phone, Internet or any other privileges for a whole month! Yeah…_ It could totally turn you nuts, seriously._

I tried telling that to my mom, without success. I tried pleading to her better nature, and still nothing. I threatened to commit suicide, and my mother threatened to add another month to my sentence if I didn't stop being ridiculous.

I clammed up at that point.

Seriously though:_ how are you going to add another month of misery to a person who is already dead at that point? _Now who was being ridiculous mom?

As a result of the ban on everything important in my life, Saturday and Sunday passed with me imprisoned in my bedroom, lying down on my bed, with nothing else to do but count my teeth with my tongue and contemplate death – either through suicide or through sheer boredom!

Oh yeah… And since I had _SO_ much time to think about stuff, naturally (despite my best efforts not to), I kept thinking about what I saw back at the Yukishiro's home.

_I kept coming back to that moment_: Tomoe kissing Kenshin…their hands all over each other; the passion and heat so thick and so powerful in the air that it was stifling. For those two, no-one else existed. I was an outsider, friendless, never belonging to their world. It was an ugly feeling so overwhelming that the mere memory suffocated me.

And the more I thought about the situation, the more I hated them – and myself. _I would never find a place in between._ I was an odd piece in a complete puzzle – and it really hurts to realize that no one needed or wanted me.

…I could never go back to being Tomoe's best friend.

…I could never be anything more in Kenshin's life.

…I had no friends in school.

…I couldn't be the perfect daughter my mom deserved.

Heck! I didn't even have the school play which was the only thing I was sure I'm worth something good at.

_God, I hate this! _

Sometime during those hours of my dark musings, even Aoshi paid me a visit (which should clue you in on what a sorry and pathetic creature I had become at that point). He turned an unenthusiastic gaze at my self-pitying position on top of my bed and made a sound of pity and slight disgust.

The beaten-up, drug-peddling teen felt sorry for me._ Seriously!_ I knew then that I had officially hit rock bottom.

So now, Monday rolled in and I'm still as miserable and as wretched as I'd been the past weekend. And as if things couldn't get any worse, I now have Mother Nature mocking my misery and freezing my butt off. _Could my life be any more EMO?_

I couldn't suppress it anymore.

"I hate everything!" I snapped out.

Kenshin, who came to pick me up so we could go to school together, laughed at my sour expression. "Okay, what's eating you? Is it that time of the month for you already?"

"Oh how smart he is ladies and gentlemen, with his witty one-liners. Yeech!" I muttered darkly, hating how absolutely hot he looked despite the depressing atmosphere with his Seirin High letterman jacket and dark jeans paired with that irresistible smile of his. "You're lucky my mom left early or I'd sic her on you."

"Your mom's not a dog."

"Sometimes I wonder," I replied flippantly. Nothing seemed to pierce his happy aura and that irked me more.

Kenshin simply chuckled despite my disagreeable humor. "So why didn't you return my calls last weekend? I was worried when you left me at Tomoe's house without a word."

"I'm grounded till kingdom come so my mobile phone, as well as my life basically, is on hiatus," I replied, carefully avoiding the topic of why I left hastily in the first place.

"Grounded?" About this time, we were both standing next to his car but he didn't make a move to open the door for me. "Why are you grounded?"

I rolled my eyes in sheer exasperation.

"Oh you know…my mom has this rather annoying ability of suddenly remembering she has a daughter at the most inconvenient times." I waved my hands in the air to show my utter frustration. "I mean, come on! When I'm available and I need her company, she's incommunicado. But on those _–really rare–_ occasions when I try to have a life of some sort, then she goes Incredible Hulk on me!"

"Well…your mom would look hot in a ripped blouse."

"Haha. Stop. You're killing me. Seriously." I rolled my eyes at him.

All of a sudden, a strong wind picked up and whipped Kenshin and I with an intensity that almost toppled us over like bowling pins. Acting quickly, Kenshin caught me by the waist just before my butt could get friendly with the pavement.

"Whoa! Careful klutzilla."

"Who are you calling klutzilla?" I demanded.

Kenshin smiled teasingly in response, and just like that, my anger melted faster than soft butter on a hot frying pan. Even when I was finally able to regain my footing, he didn't let go; his right arm was still encircled around my back and waist as he asked me, "You all right?"

He was looking down at me with a certain expression that, for the past couple of days, had always stirred something inside me that I couldn't quite explain. I would have gotten lost in those stunning violet eyes again if not for the sudden memory of last Friday…of what I had come to aptly call:_ 'The Blackout'_.

Yes…very emo indeed. And no, not the least bit creative._ Sigh…_

I abruptly pulled away and settled myself to an even footing. Facing away from him so he wouldn't see my flushed cheeks, I asked him rather abruptly, "I'm freezing out here. Shouldn't we get going?"

He shook his head like he was waking himself up too, before stating, "Yeah, you're right."

Kenshin quickly unlocked the car and held it open for me until I got in. After sitting down and making sure I was comfortable on the passenger side, he got on the driver's seat, and within minutes, we were speeding away.

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

After everything that happened to me last weekend, I almost forgot a pest problem that needed to be addressed.

-That pest being a kitsune, a fox.

_A fox that wore world-class designer clothes, carried world-class designer bags, and was a world-class bitch with the designer ego to match._

The moment Kenshin stopped his car in the school parking lot, I noticed the mill of students whispering to each other and throwing discreet, yet suspicious, looks in our direction. I would have ignored the sneaky looks and the pointed fingers, really, since I had more pressing matters to think about.

…_if not for the orange juice that was suddenly splashed on my face the moment I stepped out._

"Bitch."

The girl in front of me who gave me the juice bath smirked appreciatively over her handiwork. This student was shorter than me, but well-stacked, which would explain the deficit of brain cells obviously.

_After all, some people say that a girl's 'rack' is proportional to her smarts – or was that a comparison for guys and their 'packages' instead?_ Hmm…couldn't remember.

The barely-legal girl with a porn star's chest couldn't resist being vaguer than she already was, and felt compelled to give me these parting words to explain her motives: "You don't deserve him! You don't deserve any of them!"

I was too shocked to react or say something, so with an ugly grin and a bird flip, the girl turned around and left. I watched her go, eyes wide and mouth hanging open; not completely sure if I should focus on her words instead, or the wonder of nature that made her chest proportions humanly possible.

"What the hell?" Kenshin just got out of the car and was too late to stop or call out to the strange girl who already disappeared inside the school building. The other students on the parking lot who witnessed the event started snickering.

"Kaoru are you okay?" Kenshin rushed to my side with a look of disbelief and anger. "Who the hell was that, and why did she-?"

He offered me his handkerchief and I sighed wearily, accepting it. But then, my eyes caught sight of something curious and familiar that landed on the ground next to my feet. Stooping down, I picked up the crumpled flyer and sighed loudly upon recognizing the black-and-white print-out of the picture taken of me with Enishi, wearing his jersey jacket, some weeks ago.

"I think I have an idea," I answered softly upon realizing what this was all about.

_So this was Megumi's plan eh?_ Using the first amendment and the power of the printed word to exercise her right to be a royal bitch? I could only roll my eyes in exasperation. "This is so not my day-"

I didn't have time to finish that sentence because at that moment, another girl came up to us with purpose in her steps. This one though didn't have ginormous melons, and instead, was afflicted with the gaudy trend of possessing blond streaks on her normally-dark hair, paired with a really deep, orange tan that was laughably unusual on her otherwise fair Asian skin._ What was that anime called again?_ I mused, sidetracked for a few seconds.

"Peach Girl!" I exclaimed out loud and snapped my fingers._ Ooh, I love that manga!_ No wonder I easily recognized the girl's fashion style.

Kenshin could only raise an eyebrow questioningly at my sudden outburst.

Before I could explain myself, I realized that the Ganguro-inspired girl was already right in front of us. _This one didn't waste any time to show us her intentions._ She softly placed a hand on Kenshin's chest with a suggestive twinkle in her eyes while completely ignoring my presence as she told him, "Oh Kenshin honey, I heard what happened. I just want you to know-" and at this, she started trailing her finger seductively on Kenshin's arm, "-I'm here for you if you need cheering up. You deserve someone sooo much better than your skank of an ex-girlfriend."

"Excuse me?"

It was comical the way Kenshin and I said those words simultaneously. Briefly, I wondered if I should jinx him or the tacky blonde instead.

"NOT ex-girlfriend standing right here, you know!" I decided to add.

I knew I was bristling like a rooster about to attack. Watching the stupid airhead make googly-eyes on Kenshin was arousing an emotion from me that was unfamiliar, and yet, irritatingly recognizable.

_Jealousy. _

Lazily, the girl turned her attention to me with obvious disdain. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't notice you there," she told me with a sneer. "I thought you'd at least have some shame and be gone now, after what you did to Kenshin and all."

"What? You mean this?" I jabbed a finger on the paper print-out still clutched tightly in my hand. "This is just complete bull!"

"What's that?" Kenshin eyed the paper in my hand and I handed it to him. Slowly, he studied the picture with growing irritation evident in his face. The ditz mistook his anger as directed at me so she placed her hands around Kenshin's left arm and cooed in his ears.

"It's okay Kenshin, I'm here for you. And you-" She threw me a very nasty glare. "Will you just leave already?"

_I so didn't have time for her._ Grabbing back the paper from Kenshin's grip, I waved it in front of her face and asked her, "Who's handing this out?"

She snickered and turned away, obviously with no intent to answer my question. But Kenshin soon rectified that and she squealed when he grabbed her arm and trapped her in a crushing grip.

"K-Kenshin, you're hurting me," the blondie whined.

"My _**girlfriend**_ asked you a question," Kenshin punctuated the word 'girlfriend' severely, leaving her no doubt of his seriousness and his rising temper beneath the seemingly-calm smile. "I suggest you practice some manners and answer her appropriately."

"I-I-I don't know who's distributing that. It's just all over the school," she babbled nervously. "P-please Kenshin let me go."

"Are there more of this?" Kenshin demanded, ignoring her plea. As I looked on, watching him and this quiet fierceness that suddenly took over him, I was reminded of the days when he used to bully me in a way pretty similar to how he was treating this bimbo now. Before I could stop it, an old familiar feeling of dread crept up my spine despite the fact that his anger was not directed at me, for a change.

I felt sorry and scared for the girl (despite how she acted earlier) so I tried to intervene. "Kenshin…"

"Answer me!" Kenshin shook her once and the girl began to tremble with terror.

I raised my voice louder at this point. "Kenshin!"

The girl was shaking her head with confusion and fear. With the tightening of Kenshin's lips, I knew he was at the end of his patience and he might resort to something we'd all regret later._ I knew him too well in his anger_. I received the brunt of his severity for the past few years after all. Not that he had ever hurt me physically (and knowing him the way I knew him now, I doubt that he'd ever do such a thing to a woman), but there were things a lot worse than just physical pain, and I've learned that the hard way.

Placing a hand on his arm, I tugged at his jacket softly and called out to him once more. "Kenshin…!"

I finally got through to him and he turned to look at me. I took that chance of momentary calm to reach out and hold his left cheek with my other hand. Caressing his face softly, I whispered, "It's ok. Let her go."

After that, I saw his eyes visibly soften and his shoulders drop. His hand on the girl's arm fell to his side, and without looking at her, he muttered, "Go!"

_The girl didn't need to be told twice._ The moment she was free, she bolted away without a backward glance at us. After what happened, some of the other spectators who watched the exchange saw that it was not advisable to linger anymore, so they too dispersed, leaving Kenshin and myself alone in the parking lot.

His body wasn't tense anymore but he was still breathing a little too deeply. I removed my hand from his face and asked, "You okay?"

"Shouldn't that be my line?"

He motioned to the droplets of orange juice still dripping from my hair.

"Sorry about that…"

I waved off his concern. "C'mon, it's not your fault."

We stared at each other for a few seconds, not really sure what to do next. Then impulsively, I squeezed out some drops from my bangs and licked the juices off of my fingers. With a smile, I reported to him, "It's a little too sweet though, too much sugar."

For a moment, Kenshin just stared at me incredulously, not believing what he just saw me do. But after a second or two passed, a deep rumble began emanating from deep within him until it finally burst out in laughter. I looked at him, half-amused, half-puzzled, by his reaction as he clutched the side of his car for support, still laughing.

"It wasn't that funny," I told him with an embarrassed smile.

His laughter slowed to a chuckle and he tried to stand up straight to regain his composure. When he finally got over his amusement, there was only a small grin on his face now. He wore a familiar and tender expression as he told me softly, "You're really quite something different Kamiya, do you know that?"

I gave him a confused smile. "Uhh, not really sure here what you mean."

"Yeah… I'm not really good with words. So maybe-"

And before I could stop him, he stepped forward until we were practically nose-to-nose. Taking my glasses off, he cupped my face between his hands and, in a heartbeat,_ sealed his lips over mine in a mind-blowing kiss…_

It was so spontaneous, so unexpected and incredible, that I was totally unprepared for the storm of emotions that exploded inside me. My head reeled and I think my brain got a sort-of _'blue screen of death'_ for a few seconds. My knees buckled under gravity and I started to fall. It was a good thing Kenshin was holding me then, or my poor tuckus might have gotten acquainted with the asphalt below.

_My second kiss._ I never imagined it to be like this: quite intense and more than just a little ardent. And I most certainly never thought it would be here in the school parking lot…_still with him._

At first, my inexperience caused a little embarrassment and pauses in between. But after mimicking the movements of his mouth and tongue, I found my own rhythm and we soon found ourselves deliciously in-sync, unwilling to let go. As his kiss deepened, I felt him reach places in my mouth that I never even knew existed! Kenshin's tongue caressed and danced with mine before he started a soft sucking and nibbling motion on my lower lip. Everything was happening so fast and it all felt so wonderful that the sensations transported me to this totally different world that was nothing, and nowhere, that I had ever felt or been to before.

_It was bliss…pure and simple._ Amazingly, chocolate was not even involved.

The strange part in this situation was that fighting him never crossed my mind at any point before or during the whole thing. For once in over fourteen years, the fact that Kenshin used to be my arch-nemesis never registered._ I think I stopped caring at that point._

_I've never been kissed like this_, and it was, I hate to admit it, even better than our first. It felt so wicked and thrilling all at the same time. I was dizzy and warm all over, like being punch-drunk with the most exquisite-tasting alcohol in the world. I didn't want it to stop…

_I wouldn't let him stop._

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. I think we would have stayed in that tight embrace the whole day if it had been left up to us…_up to me._ But sooner or later, lack of oxygen forced our lips to part from each other (damn lungs) and I found myself trying to capture his lips even as he slowly inched away from my face.

When it was finally over, we were both breathing deeply as we locked gazes.

Looking at him, feeling the way I did at that moment, I wasn't sure where all of this was heading._ What was happening to us…to me?_ As I gasped for air, I managed to ask him in between breaths: "W-w-what was that for?"

Kenshin looked a little winded himself, but he still managed to cast me his trademark charming smirk. It was the one that was so familiar, so sinfully heart-warming, that a pleasurable tingle ran from the top of my head and all the way down to my toes as his eyes met mine.

As he returned my glasses on top of my nose, Kenshin told me, "You know, I think you're right. It was _too_ sweet."

"W-whuh?"

"The orange juice," he reminded me as he reached out to squeeze some leftover drops out of my bangs. "You're right, it was too sweet."

"Oh…"_ Damn face, stop getting so hot!_ "Couldn't you just take my word for it instead of, of, of…cutting off my air supply for three minutes?"

"Awww, but I liked it better this way."

"N-now wait a minute-" I wanted to protest but he cut me off again.

"And judging by the way you…_tasted me_…back-" he continued in a smug tone. "-I think you liked it better this way too."

The way he enunciated the word _'tasted'_ almost felt and sounded like he was still…licking…the insides of my mouth as he said mental image sent a thrill down my spine so sharp and so deliciously evil that I knew no number of confessions in the local parish church could make me feel pure again within the next few days.

My gaze dropped to my toes, sure that my face resembled his hair now with the way my cheeks were heating up. To my surprise, he suddenly took the handkerchief I was still clutching tightly in my hand and proceeded to wipe my cheeks, chin, and forehead clean with it. Distracted by his action, I watched him wipe me dry, mesmerized, as I followed his hand movements.

After my face was pat-dried, I tentatively touched my skin and sighed disgustedly at the sticky residue.

"I have to change my blouse. I also have to wash my face now."

"Or I could just lick you clean."

Without warning, he leaned over and took a light, quick lick on my right cheek. He smiled cheekily, pun very much intended, as my face burned even hotter (if that was still possible).

"I can't believe you did that" I squealed at him, both giddy and slightly disgusted. "That's so unsanitary!"

"But you're so sweet," he teased and made a move to lick me again. I was quick this time and managed to escape his maneuvers. "Come back here! You know you want it!" he shouted teasingly, laughing hard, as I ran away from him and made a dash for the school entrance.

"Eeew!" I shouted over my shoulder, laughing too. "Sorry, but I prefer H2O on my face, not saliva."

Sounds of rolling thunder boomed overhead as Kenshin chased after me across the parking lot and towards the school. And being the fast and incredible athlete that he was, he managed to catch me just when I was only two to three feet away from the door and into the safety of the campus halls. I shrieked when Kenshin pulled me towards him, laughing as he did. Using gentle force, he made me turn around until we were face-to-face and I'm staring up into his eyes again. Just as he was about to open his mouth to say something, we both felt the first drops of rain as it descended on our cheeks.

Distracted, Kenshin and I looked up to the heavens just as the drops suddenly turned into _a freaking deluge!_ Within mere seconds, we were both soaked through our clothes.

After that surprising trick by Mother Nature, Kenshin and I lowered our gazes until our eyes locked together once again. Unbidden, both of us started to laugh,_ and I felt myself cry despite the happiness._

When we calmed down a bit, we were still smiling goofily and didn't make any move to get out of the rain._ Well…we were already soaked anyway._

Kenshin, without breaking eye contact, took a step towards me and I smiled, knowing what was about to happen next. This time, I was the one who removed my glasses and placed it inside my coat pocket.

Without hesitation, I raised my arms and embraced Kenshin's neck and shoulders just as he enveloped my tiny waist into his own arms. Hungrily, our lips met once more in a kiss sweeter than before, and I knew in that moment_ that I've officially lost the battle…_

_We probably looked like idiots making-out in the rain_, but I didn't care.

_I knew we might get a cold -or worse pneumonia- standing there against the freezing winds and enduring the cold shower_, but I didn't care for that either.

_So what if people think we're crazy? _

_So what if we get sick?_

_So what if Kenshin belonged to someone else and none of this was real? _

At that moment, I couldn't care less even if the world ended right there and then. Nothing mattered except what was here and now, and the perfect feel of his body next to mine. I just wished the rain wouldn't stop…

_I let the rain hide me away from reality_, knowing that once all of this was over nothing could ever be the same again…

I let the rain hide the tears that flowed freely upon realizing the name behind the emotions I felt for him…

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

Amazing how that one admission made me so happy within the next few days…

It made a world of difference in our charade now that I knew that what I felt for him was something real._ I didn't have to pretend anymore._ We became pretty darn convincing, and I knew it had everything to do with the events that occurred in the parking lot that one stormy Monday.

We held hands now every time we were together, and practically anywhere, regardless of what others would think, or the embarrassment of being labeled as a PDA-ish couple. We would sneak hugs or cuddles every chance we get; that included whenever going inside a classroom together and before parting ways to go to our individual class periods. We'd eat lunch together and talk about whatever came to mind and share our day so far, and not once since the parking lot incident did we ever fight during lunchtime, unlike before.

But the moments I truly cherished were the ones after school when Kenshin would drive us to go somewhere interesting. Being grounded, I couldn't stay out for too long, but Kenshin and I made sure we made the best of it. He would sometimes take me to the mall and we'd just hang out and talk. Other times, he'd just bring me somewhere quiet and tranquil so we could enjoy each other's company in peace, away from the prying and spiteful eyes of the students of Seirin High.

Was it any wonder that it was during those little 'dates' when I became really good with the whole kissing thing? But then, I did have a terribly wonderful teacher after all. Kenshin was just too good, sinfully so. He would always leave me gasping, breathless, and silently yearning for more. Now I could properly appreciate Tomoe's glowing accounts of her boyfriend's skills in that regard.

_Tomoe…_

Despite what I felt for Kenshin and the utter bliss I felt every time I'm with him, I never forgot my ex-best friend and the truth of my relationship with –her– boyfriend. It pained me, knowing there was an end to all of this. And yet, I couldn't stop indulging myself despite the impossibility of the whole situation. Call it masochistic and delusional; call it selfish and insane; maybe even just plain stupid and moronic. Quite frankly, I'd welcome any new adjectives that could be described my insanity. I was hoping that maybe somewhere out there was a word that would finally hit the idea home and violently bash some sense into my cranium.

No luck there unfortunately.

I think it was because I knew time was running out that made me crave him more; made me want to spend every moment possible to be with him. In class, I wait impatiently for the clock's hands to run faster so that I could be with him and have him for myself again for the rest of the afternoon. At night without my mother's knowledge, it was his voice on the phone that lulled me to my dreams where, unsurprisingly, said dream would still be all about him; and in the mornings, it would still be thoughts of him that put a smile on my face and urge me to immediately start my day so that I could be with him again in a few moments.

I knew I was living in a bubble during those days:_ soft and oh-so-fragile._ I knew any time, something or someone could easily destroy this fantasy world of mine with just a little prick of a needle called reality.

Until then, I fully intend to make every single day with him last for as long as possible. Every minute, every hour stretched to its limit, filled only with happy moments with him. Yes, I was setting myself for the biggest and most painful fall in my life. And yes, I knew there was a possibility that I may never recover (emotionally) once all of this was over.

But as long as I could still feel his lips against mine, I'd take whatever I could have for the moment, and just damn everything and everyone else.

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

Friday of that same week, it was the end of the day and the students of Seirin High were all a-bustle with making fun plans for the weekend. Everywhere around me, I could see and hear kids my age eagerly trooping towards the exit, keen to start their weekend.

_Too bad I couldn't share the sentiment._

I sighed as I placed my books inside my locker, stopping for a moment to trace my finger on a photograph pasted behind my locker door. It was a picture Kenshin and I took yesterday while we were at the mall from one of those Japanese picture booths that produce colorful photo stickers with four different frames. Purikura, I believe it was called. I smiled sadly as my eyes skimmed the progression of goofy faces we made all the way until it led to the last frame where Kenshin was shown kissing me lightly on the cheek while we hugged tightly.

Being grounded, I was virtually doomed to a month-long house arrest, with only the exception of going to school as my break from this imprisonment. Now, since school was my only excuse for being with Kenshin, one could say I looked forward to the coming Saturday and Sunday with as much enthusiasm as a death-row inmate walking his last mile.

Once finished with stashing my stuff, I quickly closed the locker door and was greeted by Kenshin standing next to me with his charming grin at ready. Without hesitation, he leaned over to give me a light peck on the lips. It had been a habit for the past few days so there was no surprise or protests for that, unlike a few weeks before.

"Hey," he greeted huskily as he slowly pulled away.

"Hey," I greeted back with a subdued smile.

"So–" Kenshin began as he placed an arm around my shoulders before we started walking towards the school exit. "–I'm thinking we haven't seen Mickey Mouse together yet. We also have never ridden the Cinderella's Golden Carousel together, Storybook Land Canal Boats, or watched the Fireworks Display. Emphasis on the 'Fireworks Display' of course." He actually winked on that last part, referring to a rather famous event in Disneyland notorious for stories of couples who would share a kiss there in the hopes that the rumors surrounding it were true. They said that if you kiss the person you love right before the finale, then the lovers would be destined to be together forever.

My heart skipped a beat at the thought of Kenshin wanting to spend eternity with me. Was he just doing for effect or was he actually…no! Kaoru snap out of it!_ Just because you became delusional didn't mean Himura had become one too. He was definitely just playing the part,_ I decided.

His mischievous grin was so earnest that I almost relented and said 'yes'. But I knew that if I disobeyed my mom now, I'd be in shitsville until I graduate––from college. With a sigh, I shook my head.

"Sorry. Can't. Grounded, remember?"

"Oh? Oh…" Kenshin frowned then slapped his palm on his face quite comically. "Oh yeah, doh! How could I have forgotten? I've been taking you on hour-long dates the whole week after all."

When we finally reached his car, it was obvious we both didn't want to let each other go just yet. He already opened the lock on the doors, but none of us moved to get inside the car. Kenshin was still frowning, but the pensive look on his face meant that his mind was already trying to find a way so that we could bypass this little predicament.

"So what now?" I prompted him, hope in my voice._ I wanted oh-so-much to spend the weekend with him._ I just couldn't go home now and be faced with two days of not seeing him at all.

Kenshin lifted his gaze to meet mine and was about to speak when we both heard a shrill voice behind us call out.

"Guys!"

Bubbly Tomoe, still in her cheerleader outfit, jogged up towards us with a huge grin on her face. "Hey babe," she quickly embraced him and planted her lips on Kenshin's mouth.

"The hell Tomoe!" I was quick to respond fiercely. "What do you think you're doing?"

Tomoe turned to me with an amused look on her face. "Wow Kaoru you're getting really good at that. You actually sounded jealous back there."

It was Kenshin's turn to look at me with an expression that I couldn't properly decipher. He looked questioning, while at the same time…there was a hint of a smile at the corners of his lips._ What the hell was he smirking about?_

"W-well, I'm supposed to be! We're still in school grounds and as far as anyone else is concerned, you just suddenly snogged 'my' boyfriend out of the blue!" I tried to explain calmly despite the reddening of my cheeks.

"Oh relax, no-one else is here," Tomoe waved me off with a laugh, her one hand still encircled around Kenshin's nape. Looking around the area, I realized that she was right. Everyone had been so excited to start their weekend that no-one was loitering around the school grounds, as to be expected.

"Besides, I miss this lunkhead so much like you have no idea," my ex-best friend giggled while looking deeply into Kenshin's eyes. "One week of seeing you two so lovey-dovey almost drove me nuts. If you hadn't informed me before about the real deal here, I would've gone mental by now."

Tomoe then proceeded to capture her boyfriend's face between her hands and pulled him towards her for another searing kiss.

I had to look away at that point as a choking pain gripped me from the inside. My hands balled into fists on my sides, and it was all I could do not to launch myself at them and tear Tomoe away from Kenshin's face.

I sneaked a peak in their direction to see if they were done and was surprised to find Kenshin's eyes wide open and looking straight at me with an unreadable expression.

_What did he mean by that? What was he trying to tell me?_

At that moment, Tomoe finally pulled away and gave Kenshin a satisfied look before hugging him around the waist. "Oh I missed that… God Kaoru, you don't know how much I suffered these past few days looking at you two. But at least the sickening amount of PDA you two displayed helped disprove Megumi's little smear campaign about your relationship."

It was true though. That stupid rumor about Enishi being my secret lover died an early death after the students themselves saw the closeness between Kenshin and I. Truth be told, I didn't even plan on that happening; I just wanted to be with Kenshin every moment of the day. Funny how things worked favorably just the same. Not only did we prove Takani and Tsunan wrong, but my sudden intimacy with Kenshin for the past week was easily explainable to Tomoe as just a ploy for the public's benefit.

"Hey Kaoru."

My train of thought was disturbed when Tomoe called out to me. Smiling, she took her boyfriend's arms and leaned onto his body as she began to speak. "Kaoru I was thinking…since you had him the whole week, mind if I steal Kenshin away now, for myself? We have a whole weekend of catching up to do you know."

I shoved my right hand inside my pocket to prevent Tomoe from seeing how tightly I was clenching my fist while my other hand clutched the straps of my backpack.

_What was I supposed to say?_ Sure, I'd love to yell at her, "HELL NO!" before proceeding to snatch Kenshin away. Then I'd put Kenshin in a box and hide him away permanently from Tomoe._ Could that work?_

But in the end, common sense won out and all I could do was mutter, "Just don't get caught."

"Count on it!" Tomoe hugged me then quickly went inside the passenger side of the car. That left me with Kenshin standing outside. At first, none of us spoke and I was afraid that if I tried to make the first speech I wouldn't be able to do it without embarrassing myself completely.

"I…" Kenshin finally began to speak. "Kaoru, about Tomoe–"

I waited for what he was about to say, but there was nothing else. He just stopped there, unable to find the right words to make the situation…_better._

"Have a fun weekend Himura."

I turned around and briskly walked away from them; away from the bitter truth that was finally catching up.

_I had no right to share him. _

_None of this was real anyway._

_I should just stay away._

Funny how those words didn't stop the tears that pooled at the corners of my eyes as I quickly headed for home.

_**

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_**Author's Notes **_

_**(also known as the Great Appeal For Forgiveness):**_

"Oh…my…god…she's alive?" is what you guys might be thinking. Damn, I'm really embarrassed when I saw that my last update was around 2007, and what, it has been three whole years ever since (!). Give Candy-Sparkle (aka Sapphire-Mirror) the 'BIGGEST FLAKE of THE YEAR' award, everyone. *Sigh* I know, I know…I know I can never make-up for the time lost, so I hope this will somehow compensate.

See, I have three more chapters coming right up within the next few days, and by that, I actually mean that you can expect the next three chapters to come only a day after the other. It's the very least I can do…

Of course, shout-outs to the people who have stayed with my story ever since. I LOVE YOU GUYS (yes every single one). All of you are the best! I understand if review count will probably never be the same again, but this isn't about my gratification anyway. Now, **I'm writing to thank the people who have always lifted my spirits with their funny, sometimes critical, but mostly encouraging comments and viewpoints. I owe you guys this much.** So to these following people, I dedicate this chapter (and the upcoming ones). **Thank you for being such an inspiration even after all these years**.

Truthfully, I'm a little scared to post again… I've been gone for so long that I don't know what kind of reception I'm going to get. I realize and accept if some are really annoyed or pissed with me. I don't think I'll be able to face anyone's righteous wrath right now so I think I'll postpone reading your comments._ Gomen…_

I promise to answer your **chapter 15** questions on the next chappy. I really am in a hurry to post this so I could sleep, haha… TOMORROW though, expect a new chapter! No need to wait months or years this time. This is a new leaf for Sapphire-Mirror! See? Even the name must change.

Special mention to the reviewers of chapter 15.

_(Sorry if I didn't mention your name here and you've read/reviewed my story from the start with the exception of the last chapter. There are just too many names and I'm trying not to duplicate. I'm also in a bit of a hurry to post this chapter. Next installment, I promise to mention the other names^^ )_

crazytoast

a z a l i a s

Popped

unknown;)

Kenjutsu2Princess

shadow of the lost

evelyn

kame

Leimina Luna Altreides

SweetNothings528

elebelly – _Thank you for reviewing twice. I'm going to do my best for everyone. Gambarimashou!_

Savannah Maguire

JMai

Kiwigrl89

Monsterlife

Sakura Crystals

wh00t – _Writing two reviews to make me come out, I really appreciate the effort. You've always been there and I really, truly, am grateful for your support._

rurouni dee

Didi74

cabbage-for-the-people

Lyphta

ixchen

NerdyAsianGirl08

shin

Sarah – _Hello Sarah, thanks for the two reviews in one chapter._

KuroitsukiNoMai

rurouni madness-battousai obssession

Ellavv31

beautifullychaotic

kenkao7rocks5forever

crazytoast – _Hey crazytoast! Still love the name, and love you even more for reviewing twice._

See you

ArwenSol

NuttyNatalie

haha

crying oro

Memorie

shin

KiT72

Aristocratic Assassin

Euphany

goRurukenshin

Hikari-Kawaii

kenshinlover2002

Kristy-chan

RachelTheSilentKunoichi

kitsune55

Asch the Bloody

Useless Pity

Red Rascel

SoreNoMiko

drsilly-1

juunichi

Sketched Words

flaming-amber

Reignashii

yayy

luvHaru7

midnight000shadow

Skybaybe

Joy

Chi Bara

Jisusaken

abubi-chan

S3r3nity

postmodernism

antica

princess-oro

ChildlikeEmpress

NiChee

Monsterlife

Animekitty07

Seelenspiel

Kaoru4

By the way, I know I said A/K goodness for this chapter, right? Well, I'm pushing it to chapter 17 since forcing to add the A/K will make this update **extremely long** (lot's of explaining to do, after all). Hope that clarifies some confusion (if any).

…And so, my oath to all of you guys is that I WILL FINISH 'Something Real', even if it kills me (well, let's hope it doesn't come to that hahaha). Wish me luck. Goodbye for now and I wish everyone a happy and meaningful day. 'Till tomorrow everyone, _ja mata ashita minna_ (^^,)


	17. an acceptance

_**A/N:**_ Guys, upon reviewing some past comments by my readers, I just want to suggest that those who have no accounts in fanfictionDOTnet should seriously consider signing up. You'll get timely alerts when a story is updated. That way, you won't have to periodically check the profile page of an author for changes, only to get yourself frustrated when there's none. Hope that helps :)

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* * *

**_

**You know that I love you, boy**

**Hot like Mexico, rejoice**

**At this point I gotta choose**

**Nothing to lose**

That was how Aoshi found me later that evening, around 8:30 or 9pm probably, honestly I'm not sure. I stopped looking at the clock hours ago after I realized I was being stupid for counting the minutes until Kenshin would call.

I was sitting on the edge of my bed, legs folded underneath, with a bowl of popcorn and a pack of Pepsi by my side. I was watching Mythbusters on mute while my IPod on speakers played songs in full blast. 'Alejandro' by Lady Gaga was the one currently playing and hearing the absurd lyrics helped me forget my situation…somewhat.

**Don't call my name, don't call my name, Alejandro**

**I'm not your babe, I'm not your babe, Fernando**

**Don't wanna kiss, don't wanna touch**

**Just smoke one cigarette and hush**

**Don't call my name, don't call my name, Roberto**

**Alejandro…**

"Hey," he greeted me in a low voice. I finally turned my head to look at him.

"Hey," I replied lethargically. I turned to my speaker set and lowered the volume of the music. "My mom called earlier to say she won't be coming home. She'll be staying at the office due to a deadline or something. Do you want me to order take-out for you? She left some dinner money."

Aoshi stepped forward and entered my room. I noted that he wasn't wearing bandages anymore and the bruises on his face and arms were barely visible. His hair was a little longer than what was acceptable in a Japanese public school, with the ends almost reaching his collar bones. He was also…now that I thought about it…looking a little slovenly; really scruffy, like he hadn't had a good wash or shave in a few days._ Something was definitely up._

"You okay?" I couldn't help the sudden burst of affection that engulfed me._ I liked him before, didn't I?_ Maybe it wasn't too strange that I could still be worried for someone whom I deeply cared for not just a few weeks ago, despite being in love with someone else now.

I moved the bowl of popcorn away to make space for Aoshi to sit on my right side. Aoshi accepted the unspoken invitation and sat right next to me on the edge of my bed.

"You okay?" I repeated my question. "Are you sick?"

"No," was his singular answer.

For a moment I hesitated to say anything more. Being this near to him, when he had strongly demanded that I stay away from him after that drug-bust incident, was stirring emotions inside me something fierce.

I knew where my heart belonged now._ And yet… _

"Do you need something then? If you're hungry, I can go cook you something, though I'm gonna give you fair warning right now that I have zero skills in the kitch-"

I was about to stand up as I was saying this when he stopped me in my tracks by grabbing my right hand in his. I looked at our intertwined fingers with confusion before my eyes traced a path towards his upturned face.

After a few tense seconds of us staring at each other, he finally whispered, "…I need you."

I held my breath, not daring to hope that he meant what my heart wished for his words to mean.

"Why?"

He seemed quite surprised with my question. It almost seemed like he was expecting me to accept his request without hesitation. Well…maybe if he had asked this from me about two to three weeks ago, I would have jumped at the chance without missing a heartbeat.

_But things were different now…_

"Why do you need me?" I persisted. "Didn't you tell me to stay away from you?"

Aoshi didn't answer and I was suddenly struck by the realization of how…_sad and pained_ he looked. He appeared to be struggling with his emotions and with the words that he wanted to say. But with a look of defeat, he slowly let go of my hand. He stood up and gave me one last, lingering look.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…have expected you to…to…" he murmured haltingly. Digging his hands deep inside his pockets, he motioned to leave. "Sorry to have bothered you."

Nodding his head, he left my room with light, quick steps. I remained standing there in my room, trying to untangle the emotions that bubbled and simmered inside me, threatening to burst. I heard him descend the stairs followed by the sound of the front door opening and then closing behind him.

_Things were different now… I'm not the same girl anymore… For him…_

Lady Gaga was finished and Gavin Rossdale's deep, husky voice started to intrude in my silence.

**A thousand times I've seen you standing**

**Gravity like lunar landing**

**You make me want to run till I find you**

Unconsciously, I raised my left hand to lightly graze the bullet wound near my right biceps.

**Drift to you, you're all I hear**

**Everything we know fades to black**

_Things were different now… My feelings for Aoshi Shinomori…_

**Half the time the world is ending**

**Truth is I am done pretending**

I snapped out of my reverie and looked up when I heard the sound of his motorcycle engine roaring to life.

"Wait!"

No longer thinking or caring, I ran out of my room and practically flew down the steps in my haste. I exited through the front door and dashed down the pebbled walk towards Aoshi as he was getting ready to drive away.

"Wait!"

Aoshi was about to strap on his helmet when I called out to him. His hands stopped in mid-air as he stared at me.

Breathing hard due to my exertion, I wasn't able to speak until my heart was beating in a more relaxed tone. When I finally met his eyes, I told him without any doubts now:

"_I don't need to know."_

The darkness in his eyes slowly receded and pain gave way to silent gratitude.

_And right then and there I knew my infatuation with Aoshi Shinomori was officially over…_

Mind and body tense with anxiety, I waited breathlessly what he would say to that. Instead, I saw him dig his hand inside the motorcycle compartment before tossing a helmet my way. I caught the item in mid-air and quickly strapped it on before climbing on his bike to sit behind him. It was only after jumping on top of the vehicle did I notice that his motorcycle wasn't the Harley I saw him use months ago.

"You traded your monster Harley for a Yamaha?" I noted out loud with obvious astonishment. Aoshi, with his dark and brooding persona, did not match the little green vehicle._ How was he going to fight bad guys in a dark cape now?_

Aoshi turned his head to look at me. Then out-of-the-blue, the corners of his lips lifted to form the first genuine smile I had ever seen him give me. With a shrug, he answered:

"Things like that don't matter anymore. Life is more important."

He lowered my visor for me before turning his attention to the road._ Now I knew with absolute certainty that my feelings for him have changed…_

He was no longer Aoshi Shinomori: the hot mysterious guy who saved me from some disastrous party a long time ago.

He ceased being the gorgeous rebel who I could never attain…

_Now I knew we could be more._ Past the meaningless labels and stereotypes, Aoshi and I could actually be–

–_Friends…_

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

Situated just outside the city limits was a little roadside eatery that served great beef bowls and the best spicy noodles I've ever tasted. The food-cart owner was called Ms. Tae and she also served chicken feet in spicy sauce, Japanese omelets, Chinese wanton and cold_ sake_ or beer if she felt like it– regardless of age or gender. She was a forty-something woman with a heart-warming smile and a strong back-hand slap for any customers who became too rowdy for her tastes.

"I like her," I couldn't help but muse out loud after seeing her give her infamous slap on one of the more drunken customers who was insisting marriage on a stray dog that just happened to pass by his table.

I noted that aside from Aoshi and myself, there was only one other customer eating here now at this time of the night (the drunk who proposed to the dog). Earlier, there had been two more people around; university students I think, judging by their uniforms and their pseudo-intellectual attitudes. But they were long gone now, and I couldn't honestly remember how much alcohol I've already taken since then.

The time was already close to midnight, and judging by the two empty _tokkuri_ flasks next to Aoshi, I'm guessing that it won't be long now before both of us get seriously shit-faced.

Across the table from me, I heard Aoshi chuckle quietly, and not for the first time that night, as he poured me more _sake_ from the _tokkuri_ he was holding. "I knew you would," he smiled as he proceeded to drink his share.

I politely took a small sip from the saucer-like cup called a _choko_ as I made a mental note of Aoshi's current cheery disposition. He was never –this– friendly or amiable to me, or anyone, before. Perhaps the alcohol had something to do with it, but I'd like to think that perhaps my action earlier helped too.

As I finished off my cup, the cold liquid slid smoothly down my throat and tasted a bit like the dry white wine my mom would serve on our dinner table on special occasions. After that sip, I fanned my face with my hand as the alcohol's full effect slowly began to manifest in my body.

"We really shouldn't drink you know. But thanks for bringing me here!" I told Aoshi loudly through the rumble of vehicles passing by. "The _sake_ and the food here are delicious."

"Why thank you my dear. And thank you for bringing your girlfriend over Aoshi," Ms. Tae suddenly intruded as she placed her arm around my shoulders. "I do love inducting the uninitiated to the wonders of alcohol after all." The woman proceeded to laugh rather maniacally.

I felt hot color taint my cheeks upon hearing Ms. Tae call me _'Aoshi's girlfriend'_, though I'm pretty sure it was probably just because of the_ sake_. Aoshi, curiously enough, didn't try to correct her.

"Kaoru honey," Ms. Tae started to speak while she poured more_ sake_ in my_ choko_. "I've known Aoshi for a really, reeaallyyy, really long time…and YOU," she pointed at me with her index finger a little too closely so I had to lean back a bit to avoid collision with my right eye. "–You are the first girl he ever brought here."

She began to laugh loudly and I turned to Aoshi with a bemused smile on my face. He shook his head in response.

"I only met her last month," he told me with a grin.

"The best MONTH yet that has EVER happened to my family!" Tae corrected with a swish of her outstretched index finger, almost hitting my forehead with it. "Aoshi has helped my family SO MUCH, dear Kaoru, that you'd think he's been friends with us forever. Why, if not for Aoshi here, my Yutaro would have been–"

"Tae-san I think your favorite customer needs your attention over there," Aoshi interrupted, pointing to a spot behind us.

We both turned around and sure enough, the dog-loving man in the business suit was puking all over the sidewalk next to the food crate where some of her ingredients were stored. With a shriek, Ms. Tae quickly left my side to give the drunken man a good tongue-lashing before dragging him away. That left Aoshi and I as the only ones left in the vicinity.

"Shouldn't we help her?" I asked him.

"Tae can manage." Aoshi waved away my concern before pouring my cup with_ sake_ once more.

I lifted the _choko_ to my lips and quickly drained the contents without another thought. I placed my cup back on the table before bursting into uncontrollable giggles right after. Aoshi cocked an eyebrow as he tried to hide a grin with his right hand.

"What? Whaaat?" I asked him when I noticed his amused expression.

"You're drunk Kamiya."

"Am not!" I laughed loudly when I said this. I shook my head and struggled to put a straight face as I affirmed once more, "I'm not…drunk…Shinomori."

We stared at each other, unflinching for all of three seconds, before we cracked into matching grins.

"Okay," I amended, "Maybe I am…well…just a little…_that_." I rolled my eyes after saying this. "But you're the one who keeps making sure my cup isn't empty. It's not fair!"

"No it's not," he agreed, smiling. Then to my surprise, he handed me the_ tokkuri_ and held up his own _choko_ in expectation. I smiled in understanding before I graciously poured him a liberal amount of_ sake_ until it overflowed, much to his amusement. I poured myself some and we raised our small cups in the air.

"To what do we toast this moment?" I asked him.

He shrugged and nudged his head in my direction, leaving the decision up to me.

"How about…" I raised my cup even higher until it was level with his. "_–_to new beginnings?"

Aoshi nodded, a solemn smile on his lips, before lightly tapping the rim of his cup against mine. "To new beginnings," he confirmed.

We raised our own_ choko_ to our lips and quickly finished the contents with one gulp. I exhaled loudly upon finishing and our eyes met for a second.

"So…Shinomori?" I exhaled loudly as I began to speak.

"Hmm, Kamiya?" he replied with a slight hum.

"What exactly did YOU do for Ms. Tae's family?" I asked with a lopsided grin. I started blinking rapidly when I noticed the streetlights behind Aoshi were dancing in front of my eyes. I shook my head once before continuing. "–Who's this Yuta…? Yu…? Yu..uu..taro? Umm…?"

"You're a really bad drunk Kamiya," Aoshi replied with a laugh. "Maybe it's time to take you home."

"Where IS home?" I mused out loud.

"Come on," Aoshi began to stand up while he offered his hand for me to hold. With heavy-lidded eyes, I accepted his hand and was about to pull myself to my feet when I stumbled against the table edge. Laughing, I almost kissed the ground if not for Aoshi's quick reflexes as he caught me in his arms.

"Whoa! You okay Kaoru?"

"I know, klutzilla right? But I'm fine Kenshin. Thanks," I blurted out without thinking.

I felt him slowly pull me up and steady me on my feet. Through the foggy haze in my mind, I wondered briefly why Aoshi's hands remained planted around my waist even when I was already standing upright. But then the notion quickly disappeared in my mind when I noticed my companion's questioning gaze.

"Whaaaat?" I slurred before letting out an embarrassed laugh. "Never saw a girl fall for you before?" I joked with an exaggerated wink.

I saw him groan at my pun. "Do you remember what you called me a few seconds ago?"

My eyes looked up to the sky, face scrunched-up as I contemplated really hard, before I answered, "Uhh…I don't remember. Do YOU remember what I called you a few seconds ago?"

At first, he just looked at me with those eyes that I could never quite figure out. Right now, they looked really serious and…_really miserable_. My heart became saddened by this, so impulsively, my hands reached out and touched the corners of his lips as I smoothed them to form a smile.

"I don't like it when you're sad," I told him with a childish pout. "It doesn't suit you. If something hurts, tell aunt Kaoru and she promises to make it feel better."

"Aunt Kaoru?" Aoshi gave me an incredulous look. "Do you really refer to yourself in the third person when you're drunk?" he asked, grinning.

"See! You're happy again!" I squealed excitedly. "And I don't refer to myself in the third person. Aunt Kaoru just happens to be another person–"

My head bobbed up and down, and after a few seconds, I decided to add, "–When I'm drunk."

"That's…kinda creepy."

"But she's very effective! She can cure any pain, any sadness. Just ask the millions of people she has touched with her kindness. Well…" I became pensive for a few seconds as memories became a little blurry. "At least, I think that's aunt Kaoru. Or was that Oprah? Hmmm…"

He was chuckling, but there was that sadness again that began to creep at the corners of his eyes. "Well… I don't think aunt Kaoru can help me with this one."

At this point, I put my hands on my waist as I prepared for battle. "Try her! Show her what hurts and she'll make the pain go away, this I promise you!"

Aoshi gave me a resigned smile with a shake of his head. At first, he didn't make a move and simply watched me in my heroic pose. Getting impatient, I was about to open my mouth to speak once more when I felt one of his hands leave my waist before proceeding to take my right hand.

Slowly, Aoshi guided my right hand on top of his left chest before squeezing it gently against his shirt. I looked at the position where he placed my hand before my eyes traveled upwards to meet his.

"Here," he told me in a whisper.

Despite my drunken chatter earlier, I suddenly found myself unable to form a single word to say to him. I swallowed nervously, heartbeat erratic, as I tried to get a grip on sobriety and sort out the incoherent thoughts flooding my mind.

"I…um…" I started to speak, hesitating for a few seconds. "I think…I think that was Oprah after all."

At first there was only silence between us after that speech. But the moment our eyes met, grins started to form, and before we knew it, we were laughing together again, but with a dash of bitterness mixed in.

"You're…really…quite something…different Kamiya, do you know that?" Aoshi tried to tell me in between chuckles.

"I still don't know what you mean by that Kenshin," was my automatic response in between giggles.

I continued to laugh quietly even as I brought one hand to my eyes to wipe away the moisture due to mirth. To my horror, I found that I was crying for real. I turned away from Aoshi, disconcerted, not willing to show him this side of me that was stupid enough to fall for the last person to ever return my feelings.

"I-I-I need to–" I stuttered as I hastily wiped my cheeks dry. "–I need to go to…to the lady's room. 'Scuse me…"

I walked away from our table, steps wobbly, as my eyes scanned for a place where I could be alone for a moment. But before I could get anywhere, Ms. Tae came back and decided that now was a perfect time to wheedle out some information from me.

"Kaoru honey! I finally got you to myself!" Ms. Tae tittered as she linked her left arm with my right. Pulling me close, she leaned in to whisper, "So how long have you and Aoshi been dating? The deetz my dear, as these youngsters often call it these days, and don't make me force it out of you so–"

"We're not…dating."

Tae stopped and peered at me through my bangs. "Honey? Are you crying?" When I failed to answer, Tae started to get red as she sputtered, "Why-! If Aoshi did something, I'm gonna go over there and beat some sense into that stubborn boy's head I swear, and, and, and, oh hell, c'mere honey…"

From anger to motherly compassion, I would have laughed at the abrupt change of her mood if I wasn't too busy running into her arms as she gestured for me to come to her. I hugged Ms. Tae tightly and cried quietly, unrestrained, as years of frustration and insecurities just poured forth._ It wasn't just about Kenshin…_ I felt defeated in every aspect of my life at that moment.

I blame the alcohol for making me break down so shamelessly in front of a practical stranger. But there was no hiding the truth anymore;_ keeping silent had just become too much to bear at this point._

"Aoshi couldn't have been that bad honey, I know the boy has a heart of gold," Ms. Tae cooed while stroking the back of my head affectionately. I found myself unable to answer her because every time I tried to open my mouth, my voice came out too ragged and garbled to be understood.

Because I couldn't explain to Tae properly, she continued to defend Aoshi as a way of placating my mood. "Aoshi has been very good to our family. Whatever your troubles, you two should talk about it. He's great at listening. I mean, no-one else listened to our family when we were mired neck-deep in unpaid loans you know. Aoshi was the only one who cared about a little family that owned practically nothing."

"He saved us, saved my son Yutaro, when he didn't have to. He took the heat for Yutaro when he got mixed up in some illegal drug dealings because of my stupid ex-husband's debts and–"

"W-What?"

I set the woman away from me, though my hands still gripped her forearms, as I clarified my question. "What are you talking about? What drug dealings?"

Tae seemed to take encouragement in the sudden clarity of my expression and she proceeded to tell me _the truth that Aoshi had held back from me for so long…_

Ms. Tae, about 5 months ago, recently divorced her husband who was a compulsive gambler. He left her and their young, 12-year-old son Yutaro without a single cent. That would've been fine by itself, but her ex-spouse forgot to inform her about certain loan sharks which he still owed a lot of money from. After the divorce, he quickly turned tail and left the poor mother and her son to deal with the problems he left behind. With no money to pay, the crime group decided to press the son, young Yutaro, to serve them to work off the debt through special 'errands'.

These 'errands', much to Tae's horror, included the illegal trade of drugs. Primarily, the group wanted Yutaro to start selling the stuff to his school. Having no other options, and too fearful for their lives to come to the police, Yutaro agreed to the deal without her mother's consent.

"I told Yutaro I would do something to pay those fiends, even if I had to work three jobs simultaneously, just so my poor son wouldn't get involved in his father's stupid mistakes. But he wouldn't listen… He knew I couldn't earn the money within the time limit that the gang required. He knew what would happen to us if we fail to pay…" Ms. Tae sighed as she hugged her body as if the mere memory of those events still gave her the chills.

At first I was speechless after hearing this. But then, I gathered my wits back and quickly took Ms. Tae's hands. "I'm so sorry Tae-san," I said in what I hoped was a comforting voice. "That must have been such a horrible experience. I couldn't even begin to imagine what you must've gone through…"

"It was pure nightmare Kaoru," Ms. Tae shut her eyes tight and I saw a tear slither down. "Imagine going through that? Every day I would wait with fear for my son's life. Will he be coming back? Will he be arrested today? What if a rival gang decided to pick on him just because he 'worked' for their enemies? I think I died a little death every time I see my Yutaro go out our front door, only to be resurrected to life whenever he came back, healthy and unhurt. But then…the next day will be the same thing and thus the cycle gets repeated over and over."

Tae was visibly shaking now and this time I found myself the one to offer the comfort of my arms. I hugged her with all the support, hope, and kindness I could muster.

"And then Aoshi came…"

She slowly pulled away to give me a reassuring smile. "He was like a guardian angel Kaoru. One day about five weeks ago I think, he caught Yutaro trying to sell the drugs to some high school students in Seirin High. He confiscated the items from him, but that was before beating the shit out of the high school boys who tried to bully Yutaro into giving those for free. He made Yutaro tell him where we lived so he could talk to me. On our first meeting, I never thought that he would-"

I listened with growing disquiet to Ms. Tae's story. Every now and then, I would sneak peeks at Aoshi from where he was, still sitting on our table, quiet and unmoving. Ms. Tae revealed to me that Aoshi eventually met-up with the illegal syndicate and summarily volunteered that he would pay off the debt himself. He did it on the condition that the crime group would never come anywhere near Ms. Tae and her family ever again.

"So that's why…" I whispered in disbelief, as pieces of the puzzle finally came together in my mind. "He was doing it to help…"

"Aoshi gave them all the money in his savings account, and in the end even his Harley, just to pay up."

"His…" I started, my anxiety increasing, "…Harley?"

My eyes madly searched for the little Yamaha that we used to drive here. His words earlier rang in my mind.

_Things like that don't matter anymore. Life is more important._

"But in the end, he couldn't pay the remaining interest so the group pressed him to do ONE coke deal for them before my husband's debt could be fully cleared. They gave him several ounces that must be delivered to a contact outside the city. Unfortunately, something went wrong and he got beaten up for it, or so he told me." At this, Tae clutched my hand within hers and squeezed mine firmly. "Oh Kaoru… Seeing that kind young man bruised and battered, and all because he got a heart too big to ignore the plight of some nobodies like us, poor folks that society has ignored, it was just too much to bear. It was like seeing my own son get hurt, and it killed me terribly."

I placed my hand on top of my chest, feeling it tighten with emotion. Tae was right with one thing:_ Aoshi did have a heart too big to ignore other people's pain._ Didn't he prove that to me more than once? He saved me from Megumi first, the second time was from that horrible party, and finally that drug bust that got him beaten almost to death just so those men wouldn't lay a finger on me.

"Aoshi started working some odd jobs, legitimate part time jobs, just to pay the remaining balance. I didn't want him to skip school just for us, but he insisted. Me and my Yutaro helped too of course. Yutaro's is working part time in the student-assistant program of his school while I was able to convince an old friend of mine to invest in this food cart business. After much toil and hard work, the last payment was finally made about two days ago and now me and my son are finally free."

Tae continued to talk until her little tale was finished. By the time I went back to our table and to a waiting Aoshi, I was stone-cold sober, and the light feeling in my heart couldn't be interpreted as anything else but overwhelming joy. I felt guilty for letting my skepticism almost getting the best of me. I almost dismissed him completely from my life because I wrongfully judged him without getting the facts first.

_But then again, hard to get the truth when he specifically told me to stay away that time._

But that's all water under the bridge now. Aoshi was not a drug pusher; he didn't skip his classes for irrelevant reasons; and now he was here, sharing a drink and a few chuckles with me like we had been the bestest of buddies since forever._ How could I have been so completely wrong about him?_ It's time to make-up for all the wrong assumptions and ill-thoughts I ever directed at him.

_I'm going to help him now…_

I slipped back on my seat and managed to steal the cup that my companion was about to lift to his lips. I gently placed the _choko_ back on the table and cast Aoshi a playful grin.

"Sorry. Not to be rude, but I'm bored Shinomori-san."

That got me a cocked brow.

"Let's play a game. The so-called 'Adult Truth or Dare'. We each drink before our turn. Fail to comply on the terms, and you remove a piece of clothing. Fun right? So I'll go first."

Aoshi's face was comically confused. "Are you still drunk Kamiya?"

I took his unfinished cup of_ sake_ and drank it all in one gulp. I ignored his question and gave him a teasing grin. "I choose truth. So what do you want to know?"

Aoshi still looked unsure so I motioned my hand to point to his pants. "Failure to give a command will also make you lose your clothes. Command or strip buddy, make it quick or I'll do it for you."

"You're crazy," Aoshi told me with a roll of his eyes. I suddenly reached over the table to grab his collar and he waved me off laughing. "Fine, fine. What color is your underwear? Both of them."

I blushed fully, not expecting him to be that…_audacious_. But it's too late for me to back down now. Stuttering, I answered, "matching Doraemon bra and undies."

For a minute, Aoshi looked stupefied. I guess he couldn't believe I'd actually take the bait, either that, or my choice of underthings was a little too much for him to process. When he finally got his senses back, the roar of laughter that came from him took me completely by surprise.

"What? It was on sale and it's cute!" I was flushing every shade of red now. "Stop laughing Shinomori! If I had known this was going to happen, I would have put on my pair from La Senza. Hey, are you listening?"

_I never saw Aoshi in this light before_, and I have to admit, seeing him like this endeared him more to me. I'm guessing the_ sake _really helped in this situation, coz otherwise, I think he might have walked away from this game right from the start if he wasn't loosened up already.

_Thank you alcohol and also Ms Tae for her indiscriminate nature (regardless of certain legalities)._

"I think I might need proof…" Aoshi began while still wiping moisture from his eyes.

"God, you're such a guy." I was the one doing the eye-rolling now. "No way perv. You'll just have to take my word for it. Now, truth or dare?"

He was still laughing as he poured himself a drink before downing it. "Truth for me, I guess. Can't be sure you won't ask me to jump off a cliff after revealing that."

"Wise choice," I joked back.

For a few seconds, I simply studied him and his movements. When I was sure that I had his full attention, I started to speak.

_I didn't hold back. _

"Why are you so sad Aoshi?"

_**

* * *

**_

**Author's Notes (again):**

Next chappy will still be mostly AnK, just to wrap up their story angle, but KnK will surely follow I promise. Kaoru's make-over and revenge chapters are coming very soon, ehehehehehe! (^_~)d

I know I seem to have deviated waaay much from the core concept: which is the school play. Don't worry coz that cow is becoming burger soon! Honestly, the end is near anyway. Probably up to chapter 20 or 25 (I like to finish with a '0' or '5' lol).

I do realize I might have to change the summary and remove the AKK. Oh there will still be a love triangle, but I think you guys can see that it may not be Aoshi anymore. I kinda realized only midway along the whole series that Kaoru should have someone stable who would care for her without needless complications, and I thought that Aoshi would be perfect for the role. Or maybe he'll still fall in love with her anyway? Who can say? Depends on my capricious nature though, hahahah! Well anyway, so can you guys guess who will probably be filling the gap in the love triangle now? :p

Once I finish Something Real, I'll be working on my other projects (As You Like it, Love for Sale and Love by Mistake). But I might also start a new one which is a spin-off of Something Real but definitely out of high school (college) and perhaps A/K/E. How's that possible if Something Real is supposed to end with KnK? Oops, there goes a hint at the possible ending! ;p

I blame Sailor Moon Super S episode 194 for making me a bit on the emo side with this chapter (I've been watching old anime shows for the past few weeks). For the younger generation who has never heard of Sailor Moon, for shame! Go watch some now for the heart-warming lulz.

As a side note: Anyone here reading who are below 18, please don't drink till you're legal. And please don't point to Sapphire-Mirror saying she inspired you if you get busted by the authorities, 'kay? Don't do drugs either (forgot to mention that in Aoshi's special chapter sometime ago) coz I know what that's like first-hand and it can seriously ruin your life.

I'll be replying to everyone through the ffnet's review reply system now. I greatly urge anyone who wants to ask me questions to log-in through your account instead of leaving anonymous comments. But if you don't have your own account, you may leave your own email or you can reach me here: gamergirlATliveDOTcom (this is not my official e-mail, just an extra I use for membership on gaming forums).

Now onto my reviewers.

To my _'kababayan'_ who left a flame in chapter 1 (hahaha, I actually forgot about that one until I was doing my reviewers list), I am sorry to have been gone so long… But there's no need for name calling in our own language. I'd like you to give my story a chance again, but if not, well life must go on._ Pasensya na kung di mo kinaya ang paghihintay pero di naman natin kelangan maging bastos, di ba?_ I still wish you the best though, and I hope you have a happy life ahead. No sarcasm. I realize there's nothing you can do if someone is dead-set on hating you, justified or not. But the fact that you're angry at me for not updating means that you liked my story at some point, so for that:_ salamat ng marami sa suporta_.

So as promised, here is the complete list of my readers who gave review/(s) (alphabetized, from chapters 1 to 15 only). _**I want to make sure that you guys know I'm thankful for each and every one of you**_, so shout-outs to:

**-beautifully_chaotic-**

**~Shinta~**

**0ra3ngxsp0rk**

**10923**

**a z a l i a s**

**abubi-chan**

**albaloo**

**Alejandra**

**alex**

**Animekitty07**

**Anonymous**

**Anonymous but very interested**

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**becky**

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**zelphire**


	18. broken glass

_**A/N (part 1): KnK fans please don't kill me after reading this, 'kay? **_**(-_-;) Oh, sorry for the double chapter alert.  
**

_**

* * *

**_

It's a good thing there was a government regulation against airports being built anywhere near residential areas. Could you just imagine anyone having to live with the stress of airplane noise on a regular basis? I mean, I was only near the area for a total of fifteen minutes, and already,_ I'm ready to tear my hair out in frustration._

My companion here, on the other hand, was ready to tear out his hair for an entirely different reason.

"I can't do it."

Beside me, Aoshi had his hands deep inside his jeans pocket while a look of uncertainty flashed momentarily in his eyes. With more determination this time, he repeated, "I can't do this."

Before I could stop him, he was already heading back to his motorcycle parked a few feet away from us. We were currently standing atop a small grassy hill that gave us a perfect view of the Narita International Airport. Runway lights twinkled like land-based stars from our vantage point. The sight was beautiful actually, quite romantic even, if only one could ignore the noise of every damn plane that would pass by.

Briefly, I remembered the time when I was standing on another grassy hill not too long ago. It was nighttime, and the difference being that I was staring at the ocean instead of the airport. Back then, I was in the presence of an exasperating redhead who proceeded to drag me to the sea and then forced me to wish on a falling star like we were in some annoying Disney cliché._ As if wishing on a star would really get you anything._

I had to inhale deeply to stop myself from getting emotional again upon remembering that time. It seemed like such a long time ago, didn't it? Feelings had been so much different back then._ But enough, this moment wasn't about me;_ it was for my troubled friend here who was having his share of agony. I promised earlier that I would help Aoshi, and I would do it even if I had to drag him kicking and screaming.

I giggled at the mental picture, taking refuge in momentary humor before reality would start sucking me back to misery.

"You know you have to do this Aoshi," I told him in a calm voice, not bothering to take my eyes off of the beautiful scene before me. I could hear him pacing restlessly; his boot heels crunching against twigs and dried, fallen leaves.

"Why?" His voice was low, almost imperceptible, but I heard him; heard the tinge of despair beneath the calm. "I already know what her answer will be. She has rejected me before, this will be no different. Dammit, let's just leave Kamiya!"

This time, I did turn to look at Aoshi. His back was facing me but I could still see him rhythmically clenching and unclenching his fists. I took the few steps needed to cross the gap between us and placed an encouraging hand on his left arm.

Slowly, he turned to look at me, face fierce, as if he was ready to argue his point to the death.

"She's not going to sacrifice her dreams of international stardom just to be with me!" he told me in an angry voice.

"Maybe…" I said with a nod.

"Sayo is my step-sister! She's not my blood, but she might as well be! She's family!"

"I know."

"I asked her to marry me before, she didn't accept. She won't accept now!"

"Perhaps."

"I don't have anything to offer her when the world is out there for her. She's smart, kind and beautiful, and she will always be loved because of this. Compared to that, I can't compete!"

"I see."

For the first time since I've known him, Aosh's voice was loud, short of shouting actually, as he went on his tirade while I listened patiently and offered only short responses. In the end, he realized I wasn't going to try to convince him that any one of those things he said was untrue and he began to deflate, misery and hopelessness evident in his eyes. He slumped over my small frame, mentally and emotionally defeated, and I felt my heart break for him.

"Why do I have to do this?" he finally asked after a long moment of silence between the two of us. "What's the point?"

"You lose your pants if you don't," I joked, reminding him of our drinking game earlier. I was rewarded by the briefest of smiles before his serious expression returned once more.

"Also…" I added with a pat on his head that was still resting on my shoulder, "Maybe she wants to see you."

"She doesn't," he mumbled through my clothes.

"But you want to see her, no?"

Slowly, I set Aoshi away from me with my hands holding his forearms. I peered through his bangs so our eyes could meet as I told him, "This might be the last time you can talk to her face-to-face in a long while… Do you want to end up regretting that you never gave her a proper send-off?"

I saw his shoulders droop, probably in defeat, or maybe even a bit of relief. When our gazes locked once more, I gave him an encouraging smile.

"Don't worry, I'll be here."

Aoshi didn't smile or react to anything that I said. I laid my heart bare for him with those five simple words, yet he didn't say anything. Instead he leaned over me once more and planted a brief, light kiss on my forehead.

"Thank you…" I barely heard him whisper.

For a few seconds, the two of us stayed in that position; with him resting his forehead against mine while I held onto him. It almost seemed as if I he was getting his strength source from me. I squeezed his arms softly and slowly he lifted his face to give me a look that said he was ready. Silently, I took Aoshi's left hand and we walked the short distance down towards the airport.

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

From a safe distance, I watched as Aoshi Shinomori, famed bad boy of Seirin High, take a few hesitant steps towards the customers waiting area where a familiar face was busy perusing a magazine while she waited for her plane.

Twice, I saw Aoshi stop completely and take a half-step back while still staring at his step-sister Sayo. I crossed my fingers and mentally cheered him on, hoping he would not turn away and run. To my great relief, someone up there answered my prayers and my friend pushed-on despite the few seconds of hesitancy. When he was near enough, Sayo herself raised her eyes from the mag she was reading and flashed him a somewhat-confused, but nonetheless happy, smile.

She took his hand and led him to the seat next to hers. I watched them as Sayo opened her mouth and started having an obviously amicable talk with her step-brother. For a while, Aoshi didn't say anything in reply and only stared unwaveringly at her. I began to fear what his silence could mean, until finally, I saw his lips move to speak.

He didn't say a lot, so it seemed to me; probably not more than ten words from what I could gather. But just the same, Sayo listened to him with her full attention. When he was done, I saw him kiss her on the lips and the girl, in turn, closed her eyes. After a few moments, Aoshi slowly backed away while Sayo placed a hand on his cheek and caressed it.

_She was crying._ I saw the tears that pooled at the corners of her eyes before they formed rivulets down her face. Then in an unexpected move, I saw Sayo grab her step-brother and enclosed him in a tight, heartfelt embrace, to which he returned. I saw his shoulders shaking as he buried his face in her hair.

That was the last thing I saw before turning around to leave them, knowing that they should share this moment alone. I quietly went through the airport exit before heading towards the hill where Aoshi parked his bike. Upon reaching my destination, I let my back rest on the side of his motorcycle as I waited for him to return. Being alone now with my thoughts, I had time to ponder the things that happened to me for the past two months.

_Once upon a time, everything was simple._ There was a play that I wanted to be a part of with every fiber of my being. Being an actress was one of the very few good points I possessed, and without the step-up that the school play would surely offer for my future in the theater arts, there was nothing waiting for me. That seemed like a very cynical viewpoint for a teen, but I was a kid who grew up with a father who never cared enough to support or stay with his family, and a mother who used to drown in her own misery, but now became too successful in life to remember that she had a daughter who could really use a boost in her self-esteem.

It was only through acting in other roles, being in other people's shoes, where I truly felt I was alive and worth something. Nothing could compare to the feeling of the spotlight shining down on you with the admiration and respect of the people pouring forth in your direction. For a while, I thought it was only through my acting where I could feel that special, that loved. That's why…_I was willing to do anything to assure myself that I would never lose that kind of adoration and unwavering attention._

I could finally admit to myself that all this time, being obsessed over the play and acting, was my way of coping with the loneliness. I've finally grasped how hollow my intentions had really been. It didn't help either to realize at this point that the happiness I felt when I'm on stage was nowhere near the magnitude of the emotions that I felt for loving…_him._

_I'm such a fool…_

"Shout."

My reverie was broken by that voice and I looked up to see Aoshi standing a few feet away from me. I noted that there was a degree of serenity in his expression now, though a glimmer of sadness was not too far off. Still, he looked like a man who finally had the closure he needed to be able to move on with his life._ I wonder if I would ever find that myself…_

"Someone once told me…," he continued with a smile. "-That if you're ever feeling such strong emotions and you think you can't hold them in your chest anymore. All you have to do to release them is to shout."

I laughed at the memory his words invoked._ That time after I escaped Tsunan's party. _Back then I was shouting my hatred for Kenshin while mentally professing my love for Aoshi. So many things have changed within myself since then…_ Did it really help change things?_

"There's no open field here," I managed to point out.

"It's not important."

"Maybe I'd rather keep it to myself this time. Last time I did, the opposite happened. Kinda got myself jinxed there."

"It will make you feel better."

"Will it really?"

_It was getting hard not to break down at that point._ I drew in a ragged breath as my eyes became watery before asking, "What will you do if it doesn't work anymore?"

Aoshi walked up to me while I was biting my lips and wringing my hands in agitation. I felt him gather my unresisting body into his arms as he held me tight in an embrace that sought to chase the fears away.

In the softest voice I ever heard him use, he whispered in my ear, "Don't worry–"

"–I'll be here."

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

Only the porch lights were turned on when Aoshi and I arrived in front of Kenshin's driveway. The neighborhood was eerily quiet in the early hours of the morning save for the distant barking of a stray dog that got spooked by our arrival. I stared at the darkened, two-story house and took a deep, shaky breath as I mentally braced myself for what I was about to do. I flexed my hands, cupped them together and then blew into them to warm them up. I needed it, because my nervousness was turning my fingers into ice.

"Kaoru," Aoshi called me as I didn't make any move to get off his bike. He was already off and standing right in front of me.

I took note of the traditional design of Kenshin's house and remembered him saying that this was his uncle Hiko's home since he was a child himself. During the daytime, their abode actually looked rather elegant next to the more modern build of their neighbors' residences. But at night like this, it rather had an unwelcoming aura surrounding it. Almost a bit like a haunted house.

Okay,_ I knew I was only distracting myself with thoughts of home design so that I wouldn't panic before I could do what I was supposed to do here._ I couldn't help it._ What was I doing here again?_

"Kaoru?" I heard Aoshi call my name out again.

"Y-you know Aoshi, maybe this is a bad time. I mean, it's almost 3 AM and I don't think the residents inside will appreciate me distur–"

"Take off your top," Aoshi cut me off.

"W-whuh?"

"Your rules remember?" Aoshi replied with a slightly teasing smile. "Fail to comply or you strip."

"But we're not playing anymore," I hissed in his ear.

"Kaoru…you wouldn't want me to strip you myself, would you?"

It was too dark for me to discern Aoshi's face so I couldn't properly guess if he was teasing me or if he was actually being serious.

"You wouldn't dare…!"

All of a sudden, I felt fingers grabbing the hem of my shirt and I almost screamed when Aoshi yanked the material almost up to my navel.

"Damn pervert! Alright, alright I'm going," I muttered as I jumped off his bike in disgust. Upon landing on my feet, I raised my right hand to slap him but got cut-off when Aoshi pulled me to his arms instead and hugged me briefly.

"Good luck," he murmured in my ear before letting go. Without wasting another moment, he got back on his motorcycle and started the engine to life. Before strapping on his helmet, he turned his gaze on me and began to speak.

"I'll be just around the corner okay? Don't take too long."

With that said, he pulled the helmet to his head and drove off, leaving me to sort out my emotions alone.

I slowly turned around and looked at the house once more. I wasn't completely sure how Aoshi managed to convince me to come here._ What did I think I could accomplish?_ Briefly, I remembered my conversation with Aoshi earlier back at the Narita International Airport. He protested when I pushed him to go to Sayo, knowing that he wouldn't be able to change her mind even if he told her how much he was falling apart at the thought of losing her. Regardless, I encouraged him to go seek her out even if it would be the last time; knowing that his heart needed this, needed the closure, before it could begin the process of mending and coping without her.

Aoshi listened to me, and despite knowing that it would hurt, he heeded my advice and told Sayo goodbye…

Afterwards, when Aoshi found me back on top of the hill where he parked his bike, I would never have guessed that he'd use my argument to get me here.

"_It will make you feel better,"_ I recalled him saying.

"_Will it really? What will you do if it doesn't work anymore?"_

"_Don't worry I'll be here."_

I remembered how warm his body was as he held me close to him. I buried my face to his neck so that he wouldn't see my pained expression that I knew was obvious. It was then that I finally told him the truth:_ the absurd tale of one cocky boy and one shy girl who got mixed-up in the school play, resulting in sheer chaos._ I confessed to him how everything started with a simple pretense stipulation but ended up with me feeling–

–something real…

After I told him everything, Aoshi gently set me away to fix me a determined look.

"_You have to tell him."_

"_I…I can't."_

"_You know you have to do this Kaoru."_

"_Why? It's not gonna change anything."_

"_Maybe."_

"_He's only in this because of his pride and the challenge it presented to him."_

"_I see."_

"_And he has a girlfriend Aoshi. My former best friend of all people. He's not going to choose me over her._"

"_Perhaps."_

It was at that point that I managed to laugh, albeit hollowly._ "You're doing this deliberately, aren't you? Is this revenge for forcing you to see Sayo?"_

"_This is me…thanking you…for forcing me to see her. Coz you were right. I would have regretted. Everything will work out Kaoru, I promise you."_

Aoshi took my hand and squeezed it, mentally sending me his reassurance that this was for the best. In silence, he led me to his bike and helped me up before taking a seat himself. Before I could think twice, we were off.

…_And now I'm standing here, about to lay everything on the line._

I wanted to take comfort in Aoshi's words; I wanted to believe that this would work out in the end. I knew that there was a possibility that it wouldn't, but I still found myself taking one step forward anyway. His words continued to ring inside my mind:_ Everything will work out_.

Without fully realizing it, I eventually found myself standing in front of the gates, full of nervous anticipation.

I remembered Kenshin telling me that he usually didn't lock the front gate so that his uncle Hiko, who had a habit of coming home in the wee hours of the morning drunk, could let himself in and not raise a ruckus like what he did when Kenshin was much younger and he made the mistake of locking his uncle out. I managed to smile when I remembered how disgusted Kenshin looked after relating the story to me.

_I wish he'd tell me more stories like that._ The more he opened up to me, the more I wondered if the bully I practically grew up with was another person entirely. His last mean prank seemed like ages ago…

Without a hitch, I lifted the metal handle and the gate swung away to allow passage. I nervously looked around the empty front yard first, since I couldn't remember if Kenshin mentioned guard dogs or anything of that sort. I breathed a sigh of relief when nothing eventful happened before proceeding inside the Himura property.

I approached the front door and casually took the spare key hidden beneath the potted plant next to the doorway. I smiled as another wacky tale of uncle Hiko's late-night antics came to mind.

"That old man is hopeless!" I reminisced Kenshin telling me this a few days ago. "He'd literally run into a wall if you don't watch him, such a pain!"

_I wish I could be given a chance to meet uncle Hiko Seijurou._ He's single, or so I was told, so I wondered briefly if he'd mind meeting Ms. Tae.

I cautiously entered the house and waited for a moment to let my eyes adjust to the darkness. Thankfully, there was some moonlight streaming in from the open windows so I did not need to grasp blindly in the dark to find my way. There also seemed to be some faint yellow glow coming from the kitchen, but I didn't put too much thought in it. Instead, I located the stairs leading to the second floor and gingerly made my way up towards, what I hoped, was Kenshin's room.

In my mind, I began to practice my opening line to him.

'_Kenshin…I need to tell you something,'_ I imagined myself starting with those words.

'_What the hell are you doing here in the middle of the night?'_ he'd probably reply in alarm._ 'Police!'_

The vision of an enraged Kenshin, rising from his bed in shock, had me shaking my head._ What if he had me thrown out before I could even say anything?_ Damn! I knew it was a bad idea to come here in such an ungodly hour. After all, any normal human being would probably be in bed right now.

Instantly, an image of Kenshin lying between the sheets, probably shirtless and only in his boxers, popped inside my mind. I paused to ponder that image and winded up fanning myself when my skin began to heat up.

_Half-naked Kenshin?_ Hmm, maybe I should at least see if he was sleeping fine, right?

I closed my eyes for a moment and bit my lower lip before giving myself a light slap on the right cheek._ Ugh, snap out of it Kaoru!_ I chastised myself._ You've been hanging around that Sagara pervert for too long and now you're becoming corrupted too._

"This is a bad idea right from the start," I muttered to myself and began to turn around to leave. I could always explain to Aoshi that this simply wasn't the appropriate time to give my confession. Besides, I could always come here at daytime and I'd be fully prepared by then. Yes, that was definitely the more logical course of action.

I really should just go.

Suddenly, an idea popped inside my mind once more and this time I couldn't resist indulging myself despite the screams of my common sense._ I could at least kiss Kenshin goodnight, right?_ I mean, after we got rudely interrupted by Tomoe earlier, I had been craving for those lips ever since. It was all Himura's fault anyway, teaching me the many pleasurable aspects of kissing; now I'm a little addicted to his taste.

_There was nothing wrong with sneaking one peck right?_

Excited and flushed now, I made a 180 degree turn and resumed climbing up the stairs before walking straight towards the first door to my right._ Damn!_ Some kind of storage room, I noted as I quietly closed the door before heading for the next one on the far left of the hallway. The bedroom behind that was empty, and it had a distinct cigar smell so I'm going to assume that this was uncle Hiko's domain. Almost impatiently now, I shut the door behind me and took the few steps towards the last room on that floor, quite confident that this surely must be Kenshin's.

I was really keyed-up now, and just a bit nervous, when I slowly opened the door and instantly smelled Kenshin's familiar cologne. I let the door swing open wider and I was greeted by the sight of my target lying face-down on top of his_ futon_. In the near-perfect darkness, it was hard to make-out the finer details, but I could definitely detect Kenshin's bare backside and calves, with his middle hidden by a thick blanket._ So I was right, he did sleep in only his boxers_. His thick, red mane spread out all over the pillows and gleamed like liquid fire wherever the moonlight hit while the shadows only enhanced every chiseled shape of his lean, finely-toned body.

_God, he was gorgeous…_

I couldn't suppress the excited giggle that escaped my throat upon seeing him like that. Carefully, I tiptoed to his side and knelt down so my face would be level with his. I noted his long, thick lashes and the soft rumble emanating from his throat as he slept on peacefully, unaware of my presence.

My hand reached out to stroke his cheek oh-so-lightly, not wanting for him to wake up. My fingertips traced his smooth cheeks down to his jaws and it was all I could do not to grab him right there and then and give him a snogging he wouldn't soon forget. I sighed happily; quite content to simply watch him, though my heart and my libido craved more.

I removed my glasses and slipped the pair inside the pocket of my loose jeans. Slowly, I leaned closer until my breath fanned his face while his scent tickled my nose. In a whisper, I called out to him.

"Kenshin…"

He didn't react and I didn't expect him to. He slept on, unmindful of the fingers tracing circles on his skin.

"I hate you, you know," I continued to breathe out. "You're quite despicable and we both know why."

My fingertip lightly hovered over those soft, pink lips and I sighed in frustration.

"You used to always tease me until I'm in the brink of tears," I continued softly while my hands traveled south of his neck and towards his shoulders. "I never quite understood why you chose me. What did I ever do to you to make you hate me?"

I jerked my hand and inched away when Kenshin suddenly groaned before turning on his back. Though my sight was a little blurred since I wasn't wearing my glasses anymore, I still gasped upon seeing the broad expanse of his chest. I fanned myself with my hand, feeling incredibly warm again.

"Stupid womanizer," I hissed at him playfully. "What are you making me do? I never feel normal when I'm around you."

When I saw that there was no change in his breathing pattern, I finally relaxed knowing he wasn't waking up like I feared earlier. Slowly, I crept up to his side again and propped myself up above him, with my hands planted on either side of his head, so I could lean over him. I continued to stare at his beautiful sleeping face and I heard another sigh escape my throat.

_What was I thinking?_ A guy like him would always have the best pick among the many women who threw themselves at him._ What made me think that I had a chance?_ Regardless of my earlier convictions, I knew now that I could never tell him what I felt and risk being laughed at, or worse, avoided altogether, after this whole charade was over. I'd rather keep pretending now than believe that there was something real here.

I closed my eyes and a teardrop fell only to land on his left cheek. "What a nice illusion you are, Mr. Kenshin Himura…" I murmured breathlessly, trying to fight back the overwhelming feelings of hopelessness that threatened to engulf me. "If I wake up, will you be gone in the morning?"

He muttered something under his breath but he didn't rouse, remaining in his dreamland.

"Please don't go," I pleaded mournfully in a whisper. Before I could change my mind, I closed my eyes tight, lowered my head, and proceeded to plant my lips on top of his.

I didn't plan to do anything further than that. I just wanted to feel his lips against mine and savor the moment, knowing this would be the last. I made a mental note of every feature and quality, to commit later to memory. His scent, his texture, the feel of his body inches from mine–all these things I filed away in my mind.

…Because come Monday morning next week, I knew what I must do.

_I had to end this charade while I still could… Otherwise, I might end up begging him to stay._ I'm not going to lose my pride._ I'm going to walk away with my head intact even if my heart was already in shatters._

I was so immersed with absorbing every sensation coming from him that I didn't notice the small changes taking place around me. I didn't see his hands as it began to twitch restlessly on his sides. I didn't detect the slight movement of his legs as he adjusted himself to a more comfortable position. His restful breathing began to speed up but I failed to notice this too. His mouth parted a little, but I thought he was only moving unconsciously in his sleep.

All of a sudden, I felt hands snaking up my body with one hand going inside my shirt while the other hand cupped my nape, holding me in place. Distinctly, I felt his tongue pry my mouth open before plunging inside to play with my own.

"K-Kenshin!" I began, startled, as I tried to lift myself up. "What are you–?"

"Sshhh, Tomoe. Let's not talk."

I felt like a bucket of ice-cold water was dumped on me when I realized what Kenshin was thinking. His eyes were still closed as he pulled me to him to deepen the kiss.

I struggled to get away but he quickly flipped me on my back before proceeding to lie on top of me. I gasped again when I realized that I was mistaken about the boxers earlier:_ he wasn't wearing any!_ Leisurely, he began a soft, insistent grinding motion against my pelvis that felt too delicious to stop while he continued to plunder my mouth.

It would have been easy to just let go and forget everything;_ to just lose myself in the heaven of his embrace and damn the trivial facts._ But that single name he uttered out kept stabbing me painfully in the chest and I found myself choking because of it.

Gathering all the strength I could muster, I concentrated the force in my hands and pushed him off of me so strongly that he flew off the bed and landed on his backside with an audible 'thud'. Before he could react, I was already picking myself up and running out of his room as fast as my feet could carry me. I took my glasses out of my pocket and slipped them on top of my nose so I could see my way.

"Tomoe what the hell?" I heard him groan even as I made a dash down the stairway. I was about to reach for the doorknob when a voice coming from the kitchen interrupted me.

"Kaoru!"

My head swiveled automatically to the source of the voice and the sight of Tomoe, naked except for her small silk panties, greeted me. She was holding a glass of water and gaping at me incredulously while I found myself tongue-tied and unable to think. Her state of nudity confirmed the suspicion that was tugging at the corners of my mind a few seconds ago, and it was all I could do not to retch.

They were together,_ 'catching-up'_, as Tomoe had referred earlier. Oh God, why did I even think I had a chance? It was obvious that whatever Kenshin and I had been doing for the past week, for him it was only for that stupid stipulation and nothing more. It was now fully evident to me that once this was all over, Kenshin would have no trouble picking up with Tomoe where they had left off.

"Is that…is that really you girl? What are you doing here?" Tomoe was quickly approaching me and I had to stare at my feet so that I wouldn't have to look at her brazen nakedness.

My mind searched for an excuse, and the first thing that popped out was: "I'm here on a dare."

"On…a…dare?"

"I was, I was, uhhh, playing Truth or Dare with Aoshi."

"Wait, wait!" The disbelieving tone in Tomoe's voice didn't change one bit. "You played truth or dare with Shinomori-san at, what, 3 o'clock in the morning and, and…" At this point, she leaned towards me and sniffed. "Wait, have you been drinking?"

"Yes."

Even in the darkness, I could see Tomoe's jaw dropping slightly in disbelief. Suddenly, we heard another 'thud' coming from upstairs and I was reminded of Kenshin._ I didn't want him to catch me here!_ Quickly, I returned my attention to the door.

"I have to go. Sorry if I was disturbing something."

"Wait, wait! Kaoru!"

I didn't heed her and was already exiting through the gates without a backward glance. I ran as far away as I could from that house,_ but not towards where Aoshi was surely waiting for me_. I turned to another corner and sprinted away without minding the total recklessness of my actions._ I didn't want to face him in this state._ I couldn't admit to myself how much it actually hurt knowing for certain now that there was never a single chance after all, much less admit this to Aoshi.

I ran blindly across the dimly-lit neighborhood, unmindful of my direction or where my feet were bringing me. I just wanted to escape from the choking pain. I just wanted to…_disappear._ I kept running and running, hoping to leave everything behind, until my lungs felt on fire from the exertion.

Suddenly, I felt little wet drops falling on top of my body before it became a full-bore rain within seconds. I stopped in my tracks and looked up at the stormy, starless skies and groaned out loud, "Oh c'mon!"

When I lowered my gaze, I was struck by the realization where my unconscious mind had brought me:_ Tomoe Yukishiro's home._ I stared, open-jawed, at Tomoe's home for three seconds before I started laughing quietly in disbelief.

Tomoe used to always be there whenever I was feeling blue._ She was my one and only true friend…_ I kind of understood now how I got there._ How many times in the past have I done the same thing whenever I felt like the world was falling apart for me?_ When my parents divorced, it was Tomoe who I had sought for comfort, running towards her house and climbing the tree planted next to her window so I could sneak in and be comforted by her presence. When my mom became an alcoholic, and there were many nights when my mother would pass-out right in the middle of the living room without preparing me any meal for dinner, it was Tomoe's home that I'd head to for both physical and emotional relief.

She was my best friend and my only reprieve from the harsh realities of my life, but Kenshin stole her from me. Now, my heart was breaking for falling in love with that same stupid man, and I still couldn't go to her; partly because she was one-half the reason why I was so miserable.

_What did I ever do to deserve this?_

Shivering from the rain, I sneezed once and wiped my nose but didn't remove the hand covering my mouth._ I really should go home and change._ My clothes were drenched and I could get sick. But the thought of coming to my dark, empty house and going to my cold lonely bed to cry myself to sleep was not appealing to me in the slightest. At that moment, all I could think of was Tomoe's soft, pink sheets and the memory of many sleep-overs there where we would talk about everything and anything under the sun. I began tearing-up again when I recalled how warm Tomoe's body was lying next to me as we both would whisper that we'd be best friends forever.

_I miss her…so…much._

Unbidden, I found myself crossing the short distance towards their front gate and sounding their buzzer. This time, I didn't have the strength or enthusiasm to sneak around so I hoped Enishi was around and that he wouldn't mind if I borrowed some of his sister's clothes or if I stayed over. When seconds passed and still nothing, I pushed the bell buzzer one last time. If I still didn't get a response, I decided that there was no other choice but to go home after all.

I waited for about to two to three minutes, teeth chattering with cold, before deciding to give up. I was just about to look away and leave when I heard a voice behind me.

"Kamiya?"

My head turned to meet Enishi Yukishiro's piercing gaze as he stood there on the other side of the gate with an umbrella in his hand. At first, we quietly stared at each other for a while, both of us apparently not sure what to say to the other. Just as I was beginning to think that this might not be such a good idea after all, Enishi stepped forward and unlocked the gate. He quickly approached me and gave me shelter from the storm.

"Thanks."

His expression softened and I found myself lost in those turquoise eyes for a second. I was reminded of the time when he saved me from Tsunan and when he had carried me to the nurse's office when I suddenly fainted in art class. He was so warm…much like his sister.

I hugged my body to ward off the chill ineffectively. "I'm…I'm sorry if I woke you," I tried to tell him through my shuddering breath. "I just…I just…I just thought that maybe–"

He didn't respond to that. Instead, his hand reached up to brush his knuckles under my left eye and that made me look up at him in surprise.

Softly, he stated out loud, "You're crying."

"How–?"

His next statement surprised me even more. "You're always crying because of him."

I was amazed that he noticed me all this time when he never made the slightest indication before that I was anything more to him than some girl who his sister would have occasional conversations with.

"I guess…I can't deny that anymore," I finally admitted. "I mean, what's that point right?"

"You don't deserve him…"

_I think it was at that point that the dam finally burst._ I was just so sick and tired of running away and pretending to be fine about things when I'm not. I just couldn't bear being shy, biddable Kaoru Kamiya anymore who would never inconvenience anyone with her emotions._ No-one was looking out for me, so why should I still care about what other people would think about me?_

"I know. I know okay? I don't deserve him!" I shouted at Enishi through the tears and the sound of the pouring rain. "I can't have the things I want, so I'm going to start not caring anymore! Is that what you want to hear? Are you happy now?"

I pressed my hands on top of my lips as I continued to sob raggedly._ What was I still doing here?_ Obviously, Enishi didn't care, so why should I subject myself to his scrutiny. Still, even with those words, I was unable to make a single move to leave, seemingly frozen in place.

Enishi remained silent even as he watched me break down in front of him.

_Enishi Yukishiro…_ I was never sure where I stand in his perception. He never treated me as anything more than an incidental occurrence in his life. This was the first time that he focused his full attention to me without any logical reason or duty backing it. The last few times he had 'helped', one was because Kenshin asked him, and the next incidences were because I was in trouble and he would have been a total jack-ass to ignore my plight.

_So why was he still here?_ He didn't have to stand there and mind me, in fact, he could have just pretended not to hear the doorbell and left me standing outside their house with nothing. He really need not have bothered._ Yet…here he was._

Enishi's left hand reached out to remove my hands that were cupping my lips. I sobbed and hiccupped loudly even as he gently wiped my tears dry with his thumb and index finger. I watched him for a few seconds as he lightly caressed my cheeks with an expression that gave away nothing.

His actions confused me and I didn't know what to make of it so I finally turned around to walk away._ I didn't want his sympathy if he didn't mean it._ I'd rather be alone than be pitied by him.

I barely made a step when I suddenly felt him grabbing me. The umbrella fell and rolled next to our feet as Enishi held me by the waist and crushed me to his body while he pressed his lips insistently on mine. My mind became blank for a second before a surge of great relief washed over me for some inexplicable reason. Involuntarily, I found myself wrapping my arms around his neck as I pulled him to me, not wanting to let go of this taste of human intimacy that felt akin to a healing salve on an open wound; like water to a man dying of thirst.

I felt Enishi lower one of his arms and hooked it behind my knees to lift my feet off the ground. Without breaking our contact, he deftly carried me back to the house and brought me to his room. Even before he could lay me on top of his bed, I was already tugging impatiently at his wet PJ's to get them off. Regretfully, I had to break off the kiss so I could focus on unbuttoning his shirt.

Somewhere along the way, Enishi seemed to snap out of it and he tried to stop my fingers. "Kaoru, you and I, we don't have to–"

I kissed him quickly to stop his thoughts before pulling away and returning my attention to those damn buttons. There was a sort of feverish desperation in my movements as I finally let go of all my inhibitions.

"I wish I can stop…wanting things I can't have."

I pulled his blue stripped shirt off of his shoulders and went to work on his pants now. He reached a hand to my back and slowly removed my wet scrunchie, letting my hair fall.

"The play, my mom's undivided attention, Tomoe's friendship…Kenshin."

I had to pause to remove my glasses and wipe my eyes because my tears were making my vision blurry.

"We shouldn't–" Enishi whispered half-heartedly even as I relieved him off of his pants and boxers. I took a moment to appreciate the thing that made him so hard and virile before I turned my attention to my own clothes. I was about to pull the hem of my own shirt when I felt Enishi stopping my arms. But his hold was weak and it was easy for me to wave him off.

"Won't you let me have something now, Yukishiro-kun?" I pleaded.

"I don't want you to end up regretting–"

I put a finger on his lips.

"Not you too. Please don't reject me too…"

We stopped our movements and only stared at each other for a few seconds. After a few beats of silence, Enishi raised his hand to brush away the tears that was pooling at the corners of my eyes once more before proceeding to remove my top himself. We shared another passionate kiss after that before we both fell on top of the bed. I could feel him struggling with my jeans so I helped him slip them off of my legs, leaving me in my ridiculous underwear. He paused above me as he looked at my almost-naked body with an expression I never thought I'd see on a man with regards to my appearance.

There was admiration and…_desire_. There was no pretense here, no secret contract or forced stipulation. Enishi Yukishiro…wanted me…for me. The realization gave me such happiness and satisfaction that I cried even more even as I offered him a grateful smile.

Impatient, I took his hand now and pulled his body to cover mine and he complied. He rained gentle kisses all over my face even as his hands helped me remove the last remnants of clothing on my body.

"Will you give me something now Enishi?" I asked him breathlessly even as he slid his hands all over my torso, down my hips, and eventually on my thighs and legs; exploring everything with his electric touches, before they climbed up and settled on my modest chest.

"I'm here," he whispered in my ear.

"I don't want a long-time commitment."

I felt him about to rise abruptly but I didn't let him, instead, sealing my lips over his once more and keeping him detained on top of my body.

"I don't need you to fall in love with me."

I gave him a peck on the cheek.

"You don't have to pretend you care."

I trailed my lips down his neck and towards his collar bones.

"Just…just be here, with me, right now."

"I'm here," he groaned as my right hand travelled downwards towards his middle and touched him there. His hard reaction excited me even more.

"I just…want to feel…something real."

Enishi stopped my hands in their ministrations before standing up. I panicked at first, thinking he was going to leave me, only to sigh in relief when he merely retrieved something from his bedside drawer. I saw him take out a packet of condom and watched him as he put it on. That accomplished, Enishi returned to my side and kissed me again even as I felt him position himself in between my legs.

"Enishi…"

"Kaoru…"

"You don't have to stay with me after whatever happens tonight."

Enishi gave me a look that was too dark for me to comprehend. Instead, he chose to lower his head to my breasts and I had to bite my lips so I wouldn't moan too loudly as his lips and tongue did their work._ I never knew pleasure like this existed_, and I didn't want him to stop. Even as a part of me, a small voice deep within my mind, protested that I shouldn't be doing this, I couldn't muster the willpower to put those thoughts into action.

"Oh…my…" I murmured haltingly when I felt his fingertips below me, delving inside a part of myself that never knew touch like that before–a man's caress.

"Enishi, even for just one night…let me feel–"

In the next moment, I felt him ready himself and I knew what was going to happen next. He raised his head so he could look me in the eye and my heart melted upon seeing the tenderness written there. Enishi seemed to be waiting for me to give him permission so I nodded in response. I saw him silently mouth the words, "Thank you," before he gave one big thrust that changed my world from that point on.

I gasped and closed my eyes as I felt a sudden burst of pain, but I didn't let go. Instead, I hugged him even tighter than before as I whispered breathlessly: "–something real…"

_**xzxzxzxzxzxzxz**_

The sun wasn't completely up yet but there were already rosy streaks coming from the horizon, piercing the darkness of the night and pushing it away to grant a brand new day. The breeze blowing from the east was still cold due to the rain last night, but it gave the neighborhood a refreshing feel about it, like an assurance of new things to come. I inhaled the soft scent of the cherry blossoms and the fresh morning dew with a smile as my heart welcomed the possibility of a promising new start.

The blue Porsche I was riding on stopped in front of my house and I let out a sigh. On the passenger side, I ran a finger along the window edge before turning to the driver next to me.

"Thanks."

Enishi, in his unbuttoned blue-striped shirt, turned to me and raised an eyebrow.

"I mean," I laughed upon seeing his ironic expression. "I don't mean…you know…'that'. I'm only referring to you bringing me home and letting me borrow your sister's clothes and–"

The raised brow lifted a few centimeters higher and he even leaned away to really pierce me with a funny look.

"Oh god, I didn't mean, you know–" I was starting to get a little flustered now. "–I didn't mean that last night was…um…not good enough to thank you for, or anything. I just want to–"

I saw the laughter in his eyes and knew instantly that he was just teasing me. Playfully, I slapped his exposed chest with the back of my palm.

"Ow!"

"You deserved that."

We stared at each other unflinchingly for a few seconds before we broke out into matching grins. I turned my attention back to my house and opened the car door to leave. After stepping out and closing the passenger side door behind me, I was about to start walking away when Enishi suddenly spoke out.

"Kaoru…"

I returned to gaze at him and my heart overflowed with an emotion that I couldn't properly name at the moment. Looking into his eyes, my mind recalled the events that transpired between us hours ago and I remembered how safe I felt in Enishi's arms after making love with him. He didn't say a word when we were lying side by side, with one arm around me while his other hand caressed the side of my face with his knuckles. I thought waking up and realizing I just had sex with my ex-best friend's brother and my soon to be ex-boyfriend's best friend would be the most awkward moment in my life. Instead, Enishi kissed me and loved me again without a word that drove all the doubts away. Afterwards, he even prepared some toast and coffee for me before offering to give me a ride home. His actions and his considerate nature warmed my being, but I couldn't really say if this was love for me. I hardly knew him after all…

Right now, I didn't know what I felt or what I wanted with regards to the change in our…relationship. Thankfully, Enishi made no indication that he planned to press me about it.

_But I needed to assure him of something._

"Enishi."

"Hm?"

"I mean it you know," I told him finally without hesitation. "You don't have to pretend that what happened is anything more than…human nature."

He remained silent so I continued to talk.

"I'm not going to force you to take responsibility or anything. But I want you to know that I don't regret it either."

When there was still no response, I decided that this was for the best and began to turn on my heel to head for my house. But before I could take a step, I returned my attention to him and decided to tell him this anyway:

"Thanks again."

"For bringing you home?" It was his first response after a long while. The lightly-teasing tone in his voice indicated to me that there were no ill-feelings between us, so I managed to smile back.

"Uh-uh. Nope."

"Hm?"

"That was me thanking you–" I hedged a bit before finally telling him with a blush, "–for the wonderful and unforgettable time last night, or earlier this morning technically."

This time, I turned away and didn't look back anymore as I headed towards my house. I heard his car leave just as I was about to open the front door. My eyes followed the slowly-disappearing vehicle and smiled, happy to know that at least one thing remained right in my world.

I proceeded to enter my home only to get the shock of my life_ when I saw my mom walking out of the living room._

"Mom!"

Mrs. Kamiya's head looked up from the papers she was holding and gave me a puzzled look. "Kaoru?"

_Oh no, oh no, oh no!_ If she knew I was out all night I might as well say goodbye to life as I knew it coz she'd probably ship me to Timbuktu now–in a sealed crate! I tried to remain calm even though my heart was hammering like crazy in my chest.

"Y-you're home," I stammered. "Already? I-I-I thought that you're staying the night at the office?"

"Well good morning to you too dear," my mom replied sarcastically before sitting down on the couch to read her documents. "And that was last night Kaoru. I need to go home at some point too you know."

Since my mother continued to peruse her documents and didn't make any inclination to handcuff me to my bedpost, I could only conclude that she didn't suspect anything. I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when she suddenly stood up and stabbed me with a look that froze my heart for all three seconds.

"Kaoru…" Her voice was stern and I braced myself for the inevitable. To my surprise, instead of turning purple with anger, my mom's face transformed into a bright smile before she suddenly rushed to my side with the words: "Oh honey, are you going out? You look absolutely wonderful!"

"Whuh-?" I was about to utter when I remembered I was wearing Tomoe's clothes with my hair flowing freely. I looked down my body and noted the white crochet tank that was cut just low enough to give a teasing peak of my modest cleavage and the short red-and-blue plaid skirt I paired it with. I even snatched a pair of Tomoe's black peep-toes to complement the look overall. I thought I looked nice but since Enishi didn't make any comment, I dismissed it from my mind.

A part of me felt thrilled to be acknowledged so glowingly by my mom, a known fashion mogul as well as icon. Earlier at the Yukishiro's, I really made a concentrated effort to dress in a way that I was not used to, just to complement the change I was feeling, and so I came up with this combo.

_Looks like I made the right dress choice after all._

"Do you really think I look good mom?" I asked her in a small voice.

"Good? You're GORGEOUS! Well…except for–"

My mother stopped herself but I instantly knew what that 'except for' meant. She was looking at my body a few seconds ago and was trailing her eyes upwards until her gaze landed on my face. I caught the look of dismissal in her eyes when she saw my glasses and my braces–relics of my neglected childhood that I had refused to let go until now.

…_And in that moment I made a decision._

"Mom, will you help me pick out my contacts?"

"Your–" It took her a moment before she fully comprehended my request, and when she did, she squealed in a manner that kinda reminded me of Tomoe. "Of course my dear! In fact, I'm free this afternoon so why don't we eat breakfast first and then we can go to the mall afterwards so I can buy you more clothes. Sounds good?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing._ My mom was actually going to spend time with me?_ I must be dreaming. "Really? Do you really mean that?"

"Of course! Why, we'll even get a mother and daughter mani-pedi special at my favorite nail spa afterwards! Oooh! You won't believe how long I've waited to finally say those words, Kaoru dear. You're going to be so beautiful darling. Maybe a new hairdo too, no? Oh hey! Maybe we can even arrange an appointment with your orthodontist about your braces. I'm sure it's about time that those things get removed, don't you think so?"

My mom was giggling like a prepubescent teen on her first make-up shopping spree and I didn't have the heart to burst her excitement. She left my side and was already digging through her handbag in excitement before producing her address book. I knew that what she was looking for: Dr. Genzai's calling card, my dentist since I was ten. I held my jaw while my tongue played with my braces for a few seconds._ Am I really going to say goodbye to my specs and my braces?_ These things had always been a part of my identity and it felt…saddening actually…to think that I'm about to part with them now.

I was musing about my eventual transformation when I suddenly called my mom just as she was about to dial Dr. Genzai's number on her Blackberry phone.

"Mom! Don't you think it's still a little too early to be calling people?"

"Oh posh! It's already past 6 AM so doctors, even dentists, should already be awake at this time. And even if he isn't, well, he'll thank me for reminding him the time."

I was shaking my head in laughter over my mom's convoluted reasoning. Mrs. Kamiya winked at me before returning her attention to the phone. After a couple of minutes, and much teasing and subtle flirting added, my mom ended the call with a triumphant look on her face.

"Oh this feels wonderful Kaoru," my mom told me as she approached me once more before cupping my face between her palms. "After today, you are going to be so beautiful! I can feel it!"

I tried to smile even as I felt a glimmer of doubt snake its way inside my heart.

"And I will be happy…right mom?"

Mrs. Kamiya paused for the briefest time before she proceeded to envelope me in a tight embrace.

"Of course my darling. I have no doubts about it." She squeezed me one last time before setting me away at an arm's length. "I know things will definitely improve. Trust me."

I nodded my head, trying my best to believe her with the same degree of certainty that she exuded. She cast me a smile before heading upstairs to do some personal stuff I guess. When she was gone, I found myself whispering:

"Heard that Kaoru? You're going to be happy. This is the new you after all."

"…Everything will be fine."

After some time thinking, I raised my hands to my face and carefully removed my glasses. I gave it one last look before slipping it inside the left pocket of my mini skirt.

_**

* * *

**_

**Author's Notes (part 2)**

So now that the more serious stuff is over, you guys can be relieved to know that I will be returning to the much lighter tone that you're all used to in this story with the coming chapters.

I know some may be kinda shocked with how things went between Enishi and Kaoru, but I want you guys to understand that Kaoru's feeling really unloved at that particular moment. She's a bit drunk too so that might have exacerbated things. Believe me, if that intimacy thing with Enishi didn't happen, the only thing I can foresee Kaoru doing is jumping off a bridge._ What? Just for a guy?_ Actually no. Throughout the series, I've tried my best to show Kaoru as a really lonely kid with a miserable family and social life. You have to admit that even the most daunting of problems can be handled bravely so long as you have a good support line. But with Kaoru, she has none (well Aoshi, but she's not thinking too straight, and she doesn't fully know him yet so she doesn't feel like opening too much to him).

With that, I hope it's not too difficult for the readers to grasp the possibility of these things happening. I hope you still found it an enjoyable read though.

On one note, I hope the sex scene wasn't awkward or too much or anything. I tried my best to keep it strictly within the limits of my rating; my story is under 'Teen' after all. Feedback will be very much appreciated of course. But if you guys want a more graphic description of events, I might consider it, lol! ;p

Another note, you guys need not worry that I forgot Aoshi. He'll be making an appearance in the next chapter. Actually, all of them will be in the next chapter: Kenshin, Kaoru, Tomoe, Aoshi, Enishi, Sano etc. After all, they HAVE to be there to see Kaoru's transformation.

This chapter is longer than the previous one because I made a mistake in where to cut the story. Well just treat the longevity as a bonus coz the next chapter (chap 19) might take more than a day to upload. But don't worry coz it's not gonna take weeks or months. Just hang tight, 'k?

Well that's all for this installment. See you guys much later. I'm gonna go sleep now. Tons of work to do tomorrow. Again, for questions please log-in and review. Thanks again guys and hope you keep reading. (^_^)


	19. changing perspectives part 1

**Author's Notes: **My intended chapter 19 became tooooo long in length, so with much regret on my part, I've decided to cut it in two parts. Chapter 20 was supposed to be Kaoru's 'Big Moment', but now it will be relegated to chapter 21. Still, hope you guys enjoy :)

* * *

**Chapter 19**:

_Changing Perspectives part 1_

* * *

"Who are you texting?"

Kenshin looked up in surprise. "Oh. Not texting," he replied with a shrug. After a moment's hesitation, he added: "Actually, I'm waiting for one."

Tomoe made a little moue with her mouth before pushing herself off the doorway where she was leaning. She softly padded towards her boyfriend who was sitting on top of his unkempt futon. As Tomoe sat beside him, she couldn't help but smile when she took note of his disheveled bed-hair and slightly-wrinkled shirt and pants. He looked absolutely hot and, at the same time, adorable in his tousled state. She rather wished though, that he hadn't put on his clothes yet, as she would have wanted to stay in bed for a bit longer.

Kenshin didn't see her expression as he was still looking intently on his phone's brightly-lit screen. With a nudge on his shoulder, she teased, "Boy, she must be cute if you're obsessing that much over a text. Hmm?"

"What? Oh, hahaha…" It took him about two seconds before he coughed out a short laugh over her little joke. "Nah, it's just…something stupid. A guy thing…"

Kenshin looked at his phone. When he still saw nothing new, he added quietly: "-A stupid guy thing."

"Ahh…" She made a sound as if she understood. "Well, maybe, it will be less stupid and less guy-ish if you tell me what's so gosh-darned special about this text. Hmm?"

"Did you just say 'gosh-darned'?"

"Shut-up," she laughed and hit him lightly on the arm.

He grinned at her and easily slipped the mobile phone inside his pants' back pocket before crossing his arm over to give his girlfriend a brief, one-armed hug. He kissed the side of her head as an afterthought.

"Now you're getting me worried," Tomoe teased further.

"I'm just…just waiting for a text from-"_ a split-second mental decision made him say the lie,_ "-uncle Hiko. He didn't come home last night you know. I guess I'm just a bit worried."

"So…worrying about your uncle is a stupid guy thing?"

He grinned and imitated her. "Shut-up."

"Oh relax. He's probably out there somewhere, drunk as always. You know your uncle." Then, she decided to add, "Actually…wouldn't you be more worried if he's home early on a Friday night?"

Kenshin laughed and shook his head._ It did make more sense._ The world could end tomorrow and all his uncle would be doing was probably betting in some gambling hall on the exact time and manner of the destruction, while drunk, or high on pot…or both._ Not that his uncle was a bad sort._ He just tended to indulge too excessively. At least he'd never drink and drive.

"Yeah… Yeah, you're probably right."

Tomoe gave Kenshin an assessing look after that halfhearted response. When he turned his head and found her staring, he smiled and asked, "What?"

"Nothing."

Kenshin didn't give her answer another thought as he stood up from the bed. "Well? You coming for breakfast or what?" He finally noticed that she was still in her matching lacy black underwear so he asked, "Aren't you gonna get dressed?"

If he had asked her what she –really– wanted, she would have told him plainly that she'd prefer not wearing anything at all. To Tomoe, the only reason why she was not fully naked at the moment was simply because she thought someone might arrive in the house unexpectedly again, much like last night, when Kaoru suddenly appeared out of nowhere and–

Tomoe dismissed that line of thought before it even started._ She wasn't ready to analyze and digest the implications of whatever it was that happened earlier_. So instead, she chose to lie back on the futon to stretch her body enticingly. "I'd rather stay in bed…don't you?"

He completely missed the point and grinned at her. "Nah. It's kinda late already. But you can rest up for a few more minutes if that's what you want. I'll have breakfast ready in 15, 'kay?"

And before she could stop him, he was already out of the room and running down the stairs, heading for the kitchen. He thought he heard Tomoe let out a frustrated groan but he didn't stop.

_Kenshin didn't want to seem like he was trying to escape Tomoe_, though he couldn't blame her if that was exactly her impression. He just couldn't think straight at the moment and her presence was distracting him in a way that used to feel good but only made him queasy with guilt now. He just needed to clear his thoughts…be alone for a little while…_and then he could be a properly-functioning boyfriend again._

Arriving in the kitchen, Kenshin mechanically went through the motions of preparing a batch of pancakes for the two of them. He took out his mobile phone and placed it a good two feet away from where he was working; far enough so he didn't have to pay it too much attention, while at the same time, not too far that he'd miss any call or text completely. Every once in a while, he would steal a glance on his mobile phone lying inconspicuously on the nearby counter top and he'd feel like banging his head every time he caught himself doing so.

_What was he doing?_ Why was he obsessing so much over this? Over_ her_…?

Kenshin just flipped the last pancake in the air when his mobile rang. In a panic, he completely missed catching the food as he grabbed his phone to answer.

"H-Hello?"

"Hey man!"

His bottom felt like dropping when he recognized the voice on the other line.

"Oh…hey. It's you…"

"Well don't sound TOO happy to hear me," Sanosuke teased. "What's the matter? Didn't get 'any' last night?"

Kenshin squeezed the bridge of his nose and had to mentally count from one to five before he felt he could answer his friend calmly. "Great Sano. Still the funny guy. That's just…great."

"You know, you brought that to yourself bro," Sano continued, still sounding very amused with his wit. "Kaoru's a cool chick and all, and I'm beginning to see that…I guess. But even I can see that's one 'Great Wall' no man's gonna be crossing for a long, looong time."

_No shit, Sherlocke._ Kenshin snorted to himself. "I like that. Let's compare my girlfriend's hymen to some kind of stone barrier. Kinky."

"It might as well be for all you know, since there's no way you'll be penetrating it's–"

"Oh-kay! Isn't this metaphor done yet? What's next captain obvious? Fruits?"

"Nah! Akira and I already did that a week ago. We agreed 'heavily-reinforced battlements with lasers, machine guns, semi-automatic rifles and probably some remote-controlled explosives' is more appropriate where Kamiya is concerned."

"Really? This is what you and Akira do on your tea-time play dates together? Obsessing over whatever is going on with the pelvic region of my girlfriend's anatomy?"_ And so what if he thought about the same subject on quite a few occasions too?_ Especially when they'd get into some really hot and heavy (and suspiciously unnecessary) make-out sessions for the purpose of their charade._ He was Mr. pseudo-boyfriend after all!_ So he had every right to pseudo-fantasize about his pseudo-girlfriend's body as much as he pseudo-wanted._ Provided everything was still just 'pseudo'._

"You're getting grumpy. Dry spells are the worst, eh?"

Considering that he had just spent a whole back-breaking night having Tomoe satisfy whatever was needed satisfying, it was a surprise to Kenshin when he found that he was still quite hungry for something…he didn't know what.

"Not as much as talking about them. With you."

"Hey man, just saying. But-" at this, Sano lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "-if you ever need advice, you know, about –that– issue, I'm here for you. Coz if there's one thing I'm really good at, it's breaching 'female barriers'. And by 'female barriers', I do mean-"

"Not to leave such a fascinating topic-" Kenshin interrupted. "-But can we just fast-forward from you mentally scarring me and skip to the part where you tell me the reason why you're calling?"

"Chill bro." Kenshin could practically hear the smirk in Sanosuke's voice. "Just thought you might wanna play some hoops with the guys later. Seems like it's been a while, you know, since the four of us got together and stuff. Akira's here at my house right now actually, and we're just waiting for Enishi to swing by." Kenshin heard the rustling of a bag of potato chips being opened before Sano continued. "But…it's cool if you can't come. Certainly don't wanna be blamed if you get the 'ol whip from the girlfriend."

Sano made a whipping sound, eliciting some laughter from the background that Kenshin quickly recognized as Akira's. A bit of guilt did hit Kenshin upon suddenly realizing how much he missed-out on his friends. Sure, they'd still see each other at athletic practices and club activities after school, but those were different. He couldn't even remember the last time he hung-out with the guys just to goof around. His past weekends had been with either Kaoru or Tomoe – and both women were driving him insane at the moment.

_He needed a break;_ to be away from all this drama and conflicting emotions that was annoying the heck out of him. He needed an all-men influence right now. And he needed it fast before he started growing boobs from being around all these sources of estrogen!

"Know what?" Kenshin interrupted his two friends who were obviously having fun at his expense. "Sure. I'll be there."

"Damn!" Sano cheered. "Oi, Akira! We've got a taker." Akira shouted something in reply and Sano relayed it to Kenshin, "Akira says he's glad you've got your balls back."

"Never lost it," Kenshin smirked. "But guess who's gonna lose theirs later. Just like last time. And the time after. And the time before the time before that…wait! When was the last time you won a game again?"

"Oh no he didn't!" Sanosuke howled and more laughter erupted on both ends. "You're on! One o'clock sharp at my place Himura and no wussing out, got it?"

Still laughing, Kenshin pressed the call-end button before placing the phone back on the counter-top and resumed cooking and clearing the mess he made with the last pancake. When he turned away after cleaning-up, his eyes caught Tomoe, now fully-clothed in a yellow sundress, standing next to the dining table.

"I'm going to Sano's place later," Kenshin informed her with a playful grin still plastered on his face. "That was him on the phone earlier. Told me he missed having his butt kicked so who am I to deny such a simple request?"

"Oh…" Tomoe could barely conceal the disappointment in her tone. "But I thought we'd be spending the day together?"

Kenshin just served Tomoe a plate of pancakes and he turned away from her as he answered, "Well, we can always just hang-out tomorrow Sunday instead. Syrup?"

"You can hang-out with the guys tomorrow," Tomoe responded stubbornly, ignoring the syrup offered in front of her.

"Tomoe… Either today or tomorrow, there's no difference."

"If there's no difference, then what does it matter if you play some stupid game on Sunday and spend Saturday with your girlfriend instead?" the last word ended as a shout.

There was silence for a few seconds as Kenshin looked at her incredulously.

"Why is this even an issue? You never objected to me being with my friends before, whatever day it was."

"This isn't about your friends!"

"Then what is this about?"

She wanted to yell at him and let out her frustration, but damn pride of hers wouldn't let her._ How could she tell him what was really bothering her without sounding like an insecure control-freak?_ He was right: she never used to be jealous of the time he spent with the guys. But then again…Tomoe used to have absolutely no reason to be unsure of her relationship with Kenshin before.

_But now…_

Tomoe's mind shifted to the memories of what happened earlier, a few hours before dawn. The shock of finding Kaoru in Kenshin's house still hadn't worn off. She had spent a rather sleepless night (or early morning, as the case may be) thinking about it. And no matter how much she analyzed the situation, she just couldn't find a single conceivable excuse for her best friend's presence in her boyfriend's home.

_No, that wasn't true…_ She knew of one possible reason why Kaoru would want to come at Kenshin's home in the wee hours of morning, obviously drunk, and looking very much like the world was falling apart. But _that_ reason was something Tomoe just couldn't bear to think about…

She was about to continue the argument if not for her stomach deciding to betray her at that very same moment. Rumbling loudly in obvious protest to the lack of nourishment, she was forced to wave the proverbial white flag for the time being.

"We should…probably eat before the food gets cold." This was said with much ill-grace on her part.

Kenshin nodded and accepted the momentary truce. They silently took their seats in front of the dining table and ate without exchanging anymore words. When they were both done, Kenshin gathered all the plates and utensils while Tomoe just watched him as he placed them in the dishwasher.

Tomoe struggled not to give in to the silent battle of wills._ She would not be appeased so easily this time. Like countless times before. She just wouldn't!_

She was telling herself this, but couldn't resist blurting out, "How's everything with Kaoru? You guys are not fighting anymore?"

"Things are okay."

"It must be hard going around acting like this lovey-dovey, touchy-feely couple when just a short time ago, you two used to breathe fire at the mention of each other's names. Do you remember the time when you splattered mud on her while driving next to her and that got me so mad at you? Of all childish pranks, and I couldn't figure out why you–"

"I have some oranges in the fridge. Want some?"

A thought struck Tomoe and it made her freeze:_ Kenshin always avoided any discussions regarding Kaoru_, even back then when both of them had as much affection for each other as the sky being dark on a clear sunny day – both statements being completely oxymoronic. Back then, he would simply distract her just to end the conversation. She even remembered the time when she asked him plainly why her boyfriend hated her best friend, and his answer was to kiss her until her brain turned to mush. That was the same day when he deliberately showered Kaoru with pavement mud.

Why did he do those things before?_ And why was he doing the same thing now?_

Kenshin was moving with tense, slightly jerky movements. Already, a part of him was regretting the petty argument. He didn't really want to look like a push-over by conceding, but a strange emotion that he easily identified as guilt began to rear its ugly head. He wasn't sure why he was feeling guilty though, and his own frustration was further aggravated when, upon noticing his mobile phone on the nearby countertop, he realized that he was still waiting for a call or text from…her.

He was done drying the dishes and had just returned them all on the dish rack when Tomoe finally began to speak. "I'm sorry Kenshin…"

He turned around to look at her but remained silent. After a few seconds of simply staring, he finally approached Tomoe and knelt down in front of her. Kenshin grasped his girlfriend's hand and that soft touch alone finally made her burst into tears.

"Hon…" he began haltingly, hating himself and the guilt that continued to grow inside. "I'm such a jerk. I'm the one who should be sorry. Look, I'll contact Sano and cancel our-"

"No, no, no," she waved her hands to interrupt him. "I won't let you do that. I'm just…I was just…being stupid. A stupid girl thing. I honestly don't know what came over me…"

"No, I'm the stupid one. I really didn't mean to upset you. Between spending time with a couple of hairy, sweaty, men and being with my baby…well I have to be an idiot if I didn't know the answer to that one."

"I don't think the guys are _that_ hairy."

"You've never seen them in the school showers. Trust me, you'll thank god for being born a female for that reason alone."

And just like that, the ice was broken, and they shared a brief laugh over the joke. Kenshin sought her lips and gave her a light kiss that lasted for a few minutes until Tomoe's tears completely subsided. When Kenshin leaned back, Tomoe was finally smiling. Strangely, despite making peace with her, the feeling of guilt didn't pass.

"I mean it you know," she told him, "I don't want to get in the way of your bromance with Sano, Akira and my brother…so you just go and-"

"Bromance?" Kenshin's disgusted look sent Tomoe giggling again. "I already told you, I'm NOT leaving. Especially not now if you're going to start calling our time hanging out by that...THAT!"

"Oh Kenshin stop," Tomoe couldn't resist teasing. "That's what they call it nowadays. And you are definitely going to Sano's house and kick his butt, unless you want me to start kicking yours."

Kenshin was laughing now as he straightened up. "Oh no, no, no, no, no! No kicking my ass like last time. My tailbone still hurts from earlier you know, thanks a lot for that."

Tomoe was still giggling even as she asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Don't tell me that was just a dream. That hurt too much to be something from my imagination."

Tomoe's smile faltered as she shot him a confused look. Something felt deeply wrong with that statement so she decided to play along for the sake of getting to the bottom of it. "Well…I guess I must've been sleepwalking, or something. You know I wouldn't hurt you intentionally, baby. But it's all kinda fuzzy to me. Refresh my memory, will you?"

He rolled his eyes at her but proceeded to tell her all he could remember. "I felt you straddling me, though that didn't make sense since we just finished doing…well…you know. So I thought it was just a dream. But then, I felt something happening to my lips so my eyes opened slowly as I began to wake up. I saw you in the darkness, kissing the hell out of me. Damn it was nice, waking up to that and…well you know me. I'm nothing but accommodating after all. And there was just something different and yet really hot with the way you were snogging me, so I jumped right in."

Kenshin was grinning and shaking his head; failing to take note Tomoe's stunned silence. Now that he thought about it, there –was – something incredible but different with that kiss, familiar too, but not what he'd usually associate with Tomoe. There was a hot sense of urgency, desperation, and maybe even…naivete…in that kiss, like the kisser wasn't really quite sure of what she was doing. It was crazy that he'd even think of it. After all, a kiss is a kiss. It could only be one of the three types: hot, tepid, or too much tongue._ And yet…_

"-Then right when I thought we're about to do the –really– fun part, with me even flipping you on your back and everything, all of a sudden, I was kicked off my own bed and thrown in the air before landing on my backside. I heard you running out of the room and when I tried to follow you, I bumped my knee pretty bad on the bedside table so now I have two bruises on my body and none of them I could –at the very least– claim that I got from something exciting, like a sports accident or something. I decided to just wait for you to come back and explain, but I guess I fell asleep again. On the cold floor too. I didn't hear you come back to the room."

With a nonchalant wave of his hand, he finished with, "–And I guess…that's pretty much it."

Kenshin was smiling and wincing at the same time since retelling the events reminded him of his still slightly-sore lower back. He looked at Tomoe, expecting to see her amusement over the tale, but instead, she was frowning darkly while staring off into space.

"Baby?" Kenshin called her, bemused. "Hey…what's wrong?"

Tomoe snapped out of her deep thoughts and suddenly got out of the chair. Before Kenshin could react, she told him flatly, "I have to go."

"What?"

"Sorry I just remembered something. I have to-" Tomoe paused before telling him, "-I have to get a tampon. I'm getting my cramps. I'll see you tomorrow. Or on Monday. Or whatever. Look, I'll just call you."

And before Kenshin could stop her, she was already heading outside and banging the front door behind her as she left. Slightly dazed by Tomoe's abrupt exit, Kenshin turned his head and his eyes landed on the open kitchen window. His neighbor's orange cat, Mr. Tama, stared right back at him as it perched comfortably on a tree branch nearby.

Too confused for rational thinking, he blurted out, "What the hell was _that_ all about?"

Mr. Tama just stared at him for a few seconds before deciding to slink away and leave him to his troubled thoughts.

"Oh that's right. Leave me. Everyone's ignoring me lately, so why not you too, huh?"

Kenshin face-palmed himself when he realized he just vented on an innocent cat. _Damn!_ What was wrong with his life today?

* * *

**xooOOOoox**

* * *

Kenshin was pretty sure he told himself to stay away._ After all_, why should he seek her out when she wouldn't even contact him using the mobile phone he lent her after her mother took away her own phone as punishment weeks ago._ It shouldn't matter to him._ He was only supposed to be a 'devoted' boyfriend on the weekdays when they were both at school. He wasn't supposed to take his homework home with him, despite the irony of that wordplay he just used.

Kenshin checked his wristwatch while sitting inside his car parked just a few blocks from the Kamiya property. It was past noon and he was supposed to be at Sano's by 1 o'clock. He could afford to be late, or so he told himself. But then, it all came back to that one question:_ Why was he even there in the first place?_

The Kamiya house seemed still, nothing stirred within. Maybe there was nobody home. Or maybe the occupants were sleeping in. One answer that came to him made him smile a bit: that maybe Kaoru, being her usual neurotic self, was probably too busy agonizing in her room (again), angst-ing over whatever inconsequential new piece of teenage drama she could chew on, to move around the house. Honestly, her tendency to be too emotional over so many things was not one of her strong points.

_He knew he wasn't being fair in that description._ Knowing her the way he did now, and after they have been so amiable to each other for the past couple of weeks, Kenshin had come to realize that Kaoru may not care for a lot of things in life, but when something or someone earned her affection, she tended to become too involved with that thing, activity, or person past the normal level of devotion. Like how she could get too emotional when confronted with her mother's issues, or when her friendship to Tomoe got challenged, or when she had a mini-meltdown after almost getting booted-out of that play that she was so desperate to be a part of, or when she took a bullet for the Shinomori punk because she said she love–

Kenshin stopped that thought before he could work himself to a temper. And as if the gods weren't having too much fun already at his expense, it was at that precise moment that he noticed Aoshi Shinomori coming out of the house.

Something boiled inside Kenshin Himura at the sight of the tall, lanky figure who was now taking a long drag from a cigarette. He sorely wanted to ask Kaoru why her mother hadn't booted-out their emo houseguest yet when it had been almost a month already. The guy's parents have been back weeks ago, according to Tomoe who got that tidbit from Sayo._ Did he get himself disowned or something?_

And then a suspicion tugged at the corners of Kenshin's mind that made his glare even darker._ Could it be that Kaoru convinced her mom to let Aoshi stay in their home for much longer?_

"Judging by that murderous look, I'm guessing someone should be running for their life by now. Correct?"

Kenshin cursed himself mentally when Aoshi managed to walk up to his car without him realizing it. But he managed to give a smooth reply. "They could run, but I have a car."

Aoshi raised the brow with a silver piercing as he looked down on the redhead. After one last drag, he flicked the cigarette and grounded the rest under one of his black army boots.

"So you admit that you're thinking of killing someone right now?" the black-haired teen asked, seemingly unimpressed by his glowering looks.

"Would you help me if I say yes?"

"Depends on the help I guess."

"You're not even going to ask who?" Kenshin shrugged. "Oh well, I should just count myself lucky. Now, if you will just stand in front of my car…"

"Me? But then, how would you explain that to your girlfriend?"

"I'd simply tell her I was drunk and didn't see you."

"When I'm standing on the sidewalk and nowhere near the road?"

"I was drunk. Mistook you for a parking lot signpost. Anyone can make the mistake, skinny and dark as you are."

"And you'd do it too, wouldn't you?"

"Without a single bit of regret," Kenshin promised him with a straight-face.

For a moment, they stared unflinchingly at each other. Both were casting the other man long, assessing looks that made no secret of the subtle hostility they had for each other. Just when Kenshin was beginning to think this was stupid, Aoshi suddenly formed a half-grin before telling him: "Mother and daughter left to do some shopping and other feminine activities of which I'm not at liberty to reveal. Do you want to come inside for coffee or something?"

_So Kaoru was with her mom?_ That explained a lot why she hadn't contacted him. He was, after all, numero uno in Mrs. Kamiya's hit list.

He wasn't sure why Shinomori extended the invitation. He was even more confused when he found himself answering: "Yes."

Nodding, the dark-haired teen started walking away to lead Kenshin towards the house without looking back to check if his companion had really followed. But there was no question of following in Kenshin's mind now; his curiosity was piqued. Once they were both inside the house, Aoshi carelessly motioned for Kenshin to pick wherever he wanted to wait, while mumbling, "Better get the coffee."

Kenshin was left standing alone so he decided to go deeper inside the house. He stopped in the middle of the living room as he stared around, his eyes studying the whole place with mere idle curiosity. He noted the floral wallpaper as well as the thickly-upholstered furniture before his wandering eyes landed on the mantelpiece where several family photographs stood. Most pictures where of Kaoru in pre-school and elementary age with a young Mrs. Kamiya hugging or holding her in some. Some of the scenes in the pictures included an elderly lady with them who may or may not be Kaoru's grandmother. Interestingly, Kenshin noted, there were no photographs of Kaoru's father.

He shook his head upon remembering certain memories. He saw Kaoru's dad only twice before in his life, and both incidents were in school. The man didn't exactly leave a favorable impression with his cold, dark eyes, sharp features that made him look even more unforgiving, and a tongue that cuts deep. Of those two times when he saw Mr. Kamiya, both instances were of Kenshin stumbling upon a father who mercilessly scolded his daughter for every imperfection and improper behavior the young girl exhibited.

Kenshin didn't linger on the memory of Kaoru's pained face and glassy eyes, feeling bile rise to his throat for the cold, cruel man. From what he gathered through old neighborhood gossip and Tomoe's stories, Mr. Kamiya left the family when Kaoru was born, decided to come back when she was around eight or nine years old, then disappeared for the last time a few years later after the divorce proceeding between Kaoru's parents was completed.

Kenshin took one picture frame from the mantelpiece and stared at the bright smile of a young girl of seven or eight probably. There were no shadows of insecurity in her sweet, innocent face –so unlike the present Kaoru– and her cobalt eyes practically danced with childish joy and mischief. Hard to believe that there was actually a time when Kaoru looked genuinely happy – a far cry from the gloomy, sometimes twitchy, teenager everyone knew now.

_But Kenshin did know this happy girl before…_ A long time ago back in their nursery days, this was the same Kaoru who, despite his endless teasing and prank-pulling, would forget any ill-feelings between them and would still have a big smile for everyone come next day. He remembered one time when he stole all the good crayon colors during art period; it was so funny how Kaoru was so indignant about it. But after just a few minutes, there was no longer any anger – just charming smiles and sweet-sounding laughter.

_That was the beginning of Kenshin's fascination with Kaoru._ He used to be able to do a lot of things with her and she'd always delight him by her reactions. Where other girls would just cry and bawl if subjected to his naughty yet harmless tricks, Kaoru would simply frown or pout (or just tell the teacher) then ignore him, but then a short while after, she'd be back to sharing toys with him and having a fun afternoon altogether as they try to turn his ordinary truck and her old train toy into Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively.

Because of this, he began playing more and more elaborate tricks on her. Though he had to admit, not all of his pranks worked to his satisfaction. Some of them, like the spider down her clothes and the bug sandwich, was just plain…wrong – even he could admit it. And as an understandable result, Kaoru would break tradition and completely ignore him for a day or two instead of treating things back to normal a short while later, like she normally would. He would have said sorry long ago for all those _'beyond-the-acceptable'_ tricks, if only his young mind could grasp the concept of apology well enough to be able to express it sincerely. And since he couldn't, he never attempted it.

_But then…they got older._ And all of a sudden, Kaoru stopped being a good sport about their innocent but peculiar relationship. One day in third grade, he played (what he thought was) a relatively-harmless prank involving switching the ketchup bottle on her table with a similar-looking bottle containing hot sauce during recess. After Kaoru fell for it and Kenshin started laughing, he waited for her typical reaction of huffing-and-puffing like an adorably-indignant kitten and then walking away. What Kaoru did instead shocked him:_ she burst into tears_ before running out of the lunchroom. Kenshin spent the rest of the afternoon feeling awful, thinking that the trick was probably one of the _'beyond-the-acceptable'_ ideas. He resolved to do better the next day, with a milder and friendlier prank, that would hopefully amuse them both. Unfortunately, Kenshin would learn only much, much later that he should have just saved himself the trouble altogether.

After that crying incident, none of the old methods worked anymore. Not even the ones that Kenshin remembered Kaoru being just as amused with: such as scribbling petty words like 'geek' or 'dork' on the front of her spelling book. He decided to drop the pranks and merely tease her using the usual fodder: 'un-cute' or 'nerdy' or 'girly' being some of them. These words used to only elicit a funny (and adorable) expression from her where she'd scrunch her face then blow raspberries at him. To his surprise (and regret), those _'relatively'_ harmless words could now make her face crumple before tears followed. Kenshin tried and tried his best to get back the old Kaoru, but everything he did only made her feel worse, and by extension, made him feel worse. He hated feeling like he was the most insensitive boy in the world and his immaturity in handling such situations didn't help matters. Again, he would have tried an apology if only it was a common practice between them. But since they both grew up never having to resort to that, the idea missed him completely until he got much older…and by then it was too late.

Eventually, Kenshin simply got_…mad…_with the situation altogether. He didn't appreciate feeling like a monster, and he liked it even less to see the formerly gutsy and fascinating girl of his nursery days reduced to a blubbering, pre-teen mess. It was at that point that he started treating her with a coldness that he never used on her, or anyone, before. Without fully realizing what he was doing, his treatment of her gradually became…hurtful in a psychological level. In the beginning, he wanted to believe that he was toughening her up. But now, with Kaoru's old photograph in his hand,_ he could finally admit to himself that that wasn't completely true._

Kenshin had hurt Kaoru with his taunting words and mean behavior because he couldn't deal with 'the change'_._ He was stuck playing the role of the prankster kid because this was the only way they could connect; the only way they knew how after being 'harmless' enemies for so long. When Kaoru 'changed', he would either have to change along with her –OR– accept that things could never go back to the way they were and move on to other things in his life. The former idea was simply foolish, the latter, safe as well as logical.

So why then…did he choose the mutually-destructive path in the end when he knew that that option would lead to nowhere? Instead of leaving her alone, he just made himself into a complete monster around her._ Perhaps he was really just mean and spiteful by nature._ Kenshin would prefer that reasoning rather than admit the other one that explained everything and nothing all at the same time:

…_That he wanted to remain relevant in her life._

But that didn't make sense!

"She was a cute kid wasn't she?"

Kenshin snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing Aoshi's opening remark. Shinomori placed the tray holding two cups of steaming coffee on the center table and motioned for Himura to join him.

Kenshin took the seat across from Aoshi and flushed slightly when he realized that he was still holding onto the photograph. He returned the picture frame back to its original setting before taking a seat. He lifted the coffee cup to his lips and took just a short sip before placing it back on the tray. Aoshi, on the other hand, didn't touch his own and simply sat there staring at Kenshin with a blank expression.

"What is it?" Kenshin asked.

"Did you like the coffee? I wasn't sure if you're the sugar and crème type."

_He wasn't sure, and yet he didn't bring the sugar and crème container along with him_, Kenshin scoffed inside his head._ Asshole._

"Won't win any prizes, but good enough for the job," he answered instead in a neutral voice. Aoshi nodded though he seemed to be thinking of something more important than coffee. Not really liking the extended silence between them, Kenshin decided to try small talk. And since there was one impertinent question that he had been itching to put forward, he decided it was as good as any for an ice-breaker.

"So Shinomori…you're still staying with the Kamiya's? Your parents finally rejected you or something?"

"My father and step-mother returned to the country weeks ago," he replied with a bored look, confirming what Kenshin already knew. "But since Mrs. Kamiya had been too busy to care if I stayed or not, I decided to let it go at that."

"Why?"

"Sayo."

Kenshin was mildly surprised by the brief and direct answer. "But I heard your step-sister left for France last night. She didn't even let the gang come see her off; said she'd just cry the whole trip if she had to actually say goodbye."

"That's true. She's never much for farewells."

When Aoshi didn't volunteer any more information, Kenshin decided to point out, "So now that Sayo left, you can go back to that mammoth mansion of yours right? I mean, there's really no reason for you not to–"

"Not if I want to run into my parents." Aoshi ran a hand over his face, obviously annoyed at the reminder. "I'll get the usual _'What-are-your-plans?'_ speech, as well as the famous _'You're-the-heir-of-the-Shinomori-industries-and-you-should-start-taking-responsibility'_ tirade. That one can actually last for hours if you let my dad start in on it, so the strategy is to not give him the chance. And lest I forget my personal favorite from my dearest step-mom, the: _'You-should-start-thinking-about-those-young-heiresses-we-keep-pushing-under-your-nose-and-choose-the-one-that-can-expand-the-Shinomori-empire-even-further-because-obviously-we-can't-have-too-much-money'_. Classic."

Despite his earlier determination to be annoyed with Aoshi, Kenshin couldn't help cracking a grin, "That's quite a mouthful."

"Oh believe me, there's more. But since part of the reason why I stayed this long with the Kamiya's is to purge my mind off of all those horribly-grand and gut-churningly-specific speeches, I'd rather not start remembering them."

"It can't be all that bad. All that money has to count for something at least."

"Yes…" Aoshi's expression couldn't possibly get any drier. "I'm having a wonderful time having my life pre-arranged and set for me. Money really helps wash down the horrible thought that one day, I'll assume a role that I never wanted for myself to begin with, while being required to marry some bland, faceless heiress whose money will help me drown my sorrows further, as if I even need any more of those to do the job. So yes Himura, my life is just one big bowl of cherries and honey. And anyone who tries pointing that out to me again can go rot."

_Well at least there was still some justice in the world,_ Kenshin thought with a smirk_._

"Yes…it's really terribly unfortunate of you Shinomori. Having all that unwanted riches and a secure future is never pretty. No-one would ever want to be in your place. Seriously."

"Sympathy, Himura? Or is that what they call sarcasm? Maybe if you wipe that grin off your face, I'll be able to tell."

"I'm afraid I can't get any sadder than this for you, Shinomori."

They stared at each other silently for a few seconds before Aoshi finally returned his smile._ And just like that_, the tense air between them was lifted and Kenshin was surprised to find himself starting to enjoy Aoshi's company.

"There's no out, is there? Unless you're willing to lose it all and risk the world alone."

"I look like a trust-fund dependent to you, do I?"

"Well, no," Kenshin admitted, remembering how Aoshi never gave any indication in school of how rich he truly was, either with the way he acted or the way he dressed. "But a lot of people would have trouble letting go of all of that money."

"Life is more important. Living your life…is more important."

_Take it from the guy who always had everything to spout such nonsense._ Kenshin almost snorted out loud. "So what are your plans then?"

Aoshi gazed longingly outside the window as he replied in a surprisingly gentle voice. "I don't know…not sure. There was a time when it was actually quite simple: marry Sayo, live in some remote island somewhere where we won't be disturbed –especially by our parents– beat some sense into people who need it, never vote republican, and just be generally…happy." he inhaled and exhaled soundly.

"What? No discovering the cure for cancer? Going to Mars? Ending world hunger?"

"Again Himura, I can never tell when you're being sarcastic or sympathetic with that self-appreciating smirk plastered on your face. But if you're being serious, then my answer is that I never aspired so highly as to become god. Though I do feel like smiting a certain person right now."

Kenshin just laughed in response. "But going back, so you really don't have any plans now?"

Aoshi reached for his cup and finally drank some of his coffee. When he placed it back on the table, his lips were twisted in an ironic grin. "Now? I think I just like to be on the open road, riding my bike, and go somewhere…anywhere…out of here, out of this life." He smiled when his thoughts suddenly turned to Kaoru. He remembered her arms gripping his torso tightly while she squealed in his ear. He couldn't help but admit that he derived a bit of joy in teasing her with his wild driving tricks. Though her squeals of fear were quite exasperating at the time, he realized that he would always think fondly of that memory. That, and many other things with her.

_A scene suddenly flashed in his mind:_ of him driving fast but steady, heading towards the sunset, with Kaoru behind him, eyes shut to prevent herself from being scared, but her lips pressed between his shoulder blades, both for her comfort as well as his – and a burst of warmth emanated from Aoshi's chest at the idea, surprising even him.

"So you got Sayo replaced already, huh?" Kenshin asked dryly. Aoshi returned his attention back to his companion.

"I haven't replaced Sayo and–" he stopped that train of thought when he realized that there was a degree of untruth in that statement though he couldn't figure out what or why, so asked instead, "You read minds now?"

"Doesn't take a mind reader to interpret what that sappy grin means."

"So you're an expert on looking like an idiot now? I can believe that."

Kenshin simply looked away in amusement, deciding not to answer. Aoshi could deny all he wanted, but Kenshin was content by the knowledge his companion just unwittingly revealed to him._ That information could be useful in the future..._ But as Kenshin averted his gaze, his eyes caught sight of the wall clock and he suddenly jumped to his feet when he saw that it was already 1 PM.

"Damn! I'm not gonna hear the end of this from Sano. Thanks for the hospitality, but I need to go."

Without looking back, Kenshin dashed for the door. But before he could disappear, he realized something. Aoshi wasn't so bad after all if you could get past the tacky emo/rocker/rebel persona he favored, and also if Kaoru wasn't around going loopy all over him. In fact, Kenshin actually found his brief conversation with the usually stoic Shinomori refreshingly amusing – and boy did he need some amusement in his life right now._ It wouldn't be the worst idea in the world if he tried befriending him now, would it?_ And so with that thought, Kenshin returned his attention on his dark-haired companion who was now looking at the photographs on the mantelpiece.

"Um, hey Shinomori…"

Aoshi turned his head and raised his pierced brow questioningly.

"It was actually pretty nice chatting with you. Quite interesting. And the coffee is not bad either."

That Aoshi didn't ignore him after that statement was encouraging enough, so Kenshin pursued his next idea: "The guys are getting together at Sanosuke's to shoot some hoops. It won't hurt if you join us. But if you're busy…"

"Should I be wondering why you're getting friendly all of a sudden Himura? I remember from the distinct past that you promised to run me over with that old clunker of yours. And by distinct past, I meant just thirty minutes ago."

"Up to you Shinomori," he shrugged. "Though I understand completely if you simply don't want to get publicly humiliated, seeing as you never played a single game of basketball in school before." At this, Kenshin lowered his voice in a mock-whisper, "Don't worry, the secret of your lack of athletic skills is safe with me."

"You win Himura. Your reverse psychology tactics have me thoroughly convinced, because apparently, I'm a ten-year-old kid who still believes in cooties, Santa Clause and the tooth fairy."

"Sarcasm Shinomori? I can never tell with you since _every_ statement from your mouth is always inflected with varying degrees of disbelief and cynicism. Actually, I'm surprised that you can still retain body moisture with all that dry wit."

"Shut up Himura."

Both guys grinned.

"Great then. I'll just text the guys that we're running a bit late but we should–"

"Just tell me something Himura," he suddenly interrupted. "Will Enishi Yukishiro be coming to this game?"

"Enishi? Yeah, most probably. He never misses a weekend game."

Aoshi finally smiled and Kenshin wondered why his eyes seemed to be glinting mischievously.

"Good. Coz I want to play against him. And if I may give you a friendly heads-up: You might want to do so too."

* * *

_To be continued..._

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

A little slow-going, but I promise it heats up in the next chapter (which I'll be uploading tomorrow).

One reader noted some time ago that I have not written another chapter with other character's POV for quite a while now. The idea appealed to me so you guys got..._this_. And after all, there are quite a good number of things that need to be exposited through other people's perspective that Kaoru can't possibly have any idea about. Wouldn't you agree?

I really had fun writing this chapter in the third-person, so I'm seriously considering the idea that all the remaining five or six chapters left of 'Something Real' will now be written in other people's perspective. But do give me feedback if you think I still should revert back to first-person every now and then, or if you think I should do away with third-person POV altogether and just return to the 'ol reliable 'Kaoru-only' first-person POV.

I'm supposed to be going back to some humor and light-heartedness of the story by this chapter, but again I felt compelled to spare a chapter to just simply explain some things. With this installment, I was finally able to explain Aoshi's unnaturally-long stay with the Kamiya's, have Kenshin explain more comprehensively his past with Kaoru, and ultimately plant the seed of doubt in Tomoe's mind that should get the wheels a-chugging (Ack! Did I really just say that? Hahaha).

Thank you –ALL– so much for the continued support. Our journey with the Ken-gumi is almost about to end. It's been a wildly fun experience because of all the love and encouragement all my readers have sent my way. And for that, I thank you all so very much! I'll be doing my best (=D)

**So now, for the reader shout-outs:**

I believe I've replied to most of you through FanfictiondotNet's reply system. But it doesn't hurt to re-acknowledge all you lovely people. Actually, **it makes me happy to thank you guys over and over again** for all your overwhelming support. So without further ado…

Thekoostuff

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_…with special note to:_

Unknown-nymous = Salamat sa paalala na iniwan mo. Naiintindihan ko na ayaw mong ma-isyu kaya di ka na nag-log-in, so okay lang yun sakin. Di natin to makukumpirma ng 100% kaya mahirap magsalita. Sa akin naman, wala na yung ganyang bagay basta di naman kinopya ang bawat salita at sequence of events mula sa istorya ko. Peace and love na lang tayong lahat. Reader ko siya actually, at flattered ako na na-inspire ko siya; lagi nga siyang nag-re-review sa fic ko and I'm really appreciative of the support. Pero aaminin ko na kung totoo yung sinabi mo, medyo masasaktan ako. Basta ganito na lang, wala nang away unless talagang magkatapakan ng pagkatao. Just enjoy na lang, right? And that goes to any of my readers na nakakaintindi nitong mensahe ko: wag niyo po pupuntahan yung tao dun sa account niya at i-bash or i-flame siya dahil dito. Pero salamat ulit dahil concerned ka enough para i-inform ako. I really appreciate it! Baka isang araw, kausapin ko siya tungkol sa bagay na yan…

Hope I didn't miss anyone. Do tell me please if I was not able to credit you here. Well that's all for now guys. See you all again next year…OH! I mean, very, very soon, hehe… Definitely, chapter 20 will be uploaded TOMORROW. But for the next chapter 21, give me a week at the very most to fine-tune it. I promise to make it reeeaaaally good. Toodles!


	20. changing perspectives part 2

**Author's Notes:** Guys, sorry for the delay in updating. Lost my internet connection at home so actually I'm just using my mobile phone right now to upload. Because of that, I'm sure there are some grammar/typos here. Please notify me if you find something typed incorrectly.

So...I don't know if our dear Rurouni will still have fans after this, but I promise things will still work out in the end. Hope you guys enjoy :)

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**Chapter 20:**

_Changing Perspectives part 2_

* * *

The score was 6 to 4 within the first fifteen minutes. The late afternoon heat prickled their skin uncomfortably while their bodies were flushing heavily with sweat and exertion. Yet no-one was calling for a break as the game continued. Kenshin and Aoshi were winning, but it wasn't an easy lead. Sanosuke and Akira, despite the two-point difference, ensured that every shot Kenshin or Aoshi took must never miss. Both teams were evenly-matched, and halfway through the game, Kenshin began to wonder if perhaps he spoke too soon regarding the ass-kicking he promised.

_It was unfortunate that Enishi hadn't shown-up yet_, Kenshin mentally groaned as his last throw missed the basket completely and Akira took that opportunity to score for their team. Aoshi was a great player –quite surprising since he never played at any sporting event in school as Kenshin had truthfully claimed earlier– but he was just not as attuned to Shinomori's gaming skills as he would have been with Enishi. If it had been Yukishiro who was playing with Kenshin, he knew Akira and Sanosuke would be having an even tougher time closing the score gap than they did at the moment.

Suddenly, he remembered Aoshi's statement earlier.

'_You might want to do so too…'_

When he asked why, all Shinomori offered was a vague: "Let's just say he managed to do something that now has him leading by a hundred points. And considering it's already halftime, you don't have much opportunity left." And after that, Aoshi wouldn't say anything more. Kenshin's pride didn't allow him to get sucked into, what he assumed, was such a typical 'psych' so he didn't push for more info.

After twenty more minutes, and with an 11-10 score, Akira finally asked for a time-out. After all consented, Kenshin simply dragged himself to the edge of Sanosuke's driveway before dropping his tired, sweaty body on the cool lawn. Sano handed mineral water to everyone before going inside his house to check his mobile phone. Aoshi excused himself to use the men's room and that left Akira to sit beside Kenshin.

"Whooo!" Akira exhaled as he drank from the plastic water bottle before drenching himself with the remaining liquid. "Great game huh? Who knew Shinomori could move like that?"

"Yeah, he's not bad," Kenshin agreed as he took a swig of his own drink. "The basketball team could sure use a guy like him. That is, if anyone can convince him to join. Don't think he's big on the whole 'school-spirit' thing."

"Hey, speaking of 'convincing'. I need to ask you something man but you have to promise not to hit me."

Kenshin grinned. "You know I never make promises I can't keep."

"Come on! At least tell me you'll try your best to contain yourself."

"I'll try my best not to leave any permanent damage, depending on the offense. How's that? Now quit fussing and just spill already."

That seemed to be enough reassurance for Akira. Leaning down on Kenshin's sprawled body, he told him, "I was gonna ask if you're cool with me asking Tomoe out on a date."

"What?"

That got Kenshin sitting up and Akira backing away with his palms raised in a placating gesture.

"Well with you dating Kamiya and all, I just thought–"

"How about I see you in hell first?"

"Seriously?" Akira looked genuinely disappointed. "But if you don't want her seeing other people then…does that mean you're planning to get back with her soon or something?"

"What?"

This time, Akira was now the one who looked peeved. "Well damn Kenshin! Don't tell me you're planning on dating Kamiya while keeping other guys away from Tomoe. Not cool bro, not cool. You can't keep both of them you know. You have to choose."

_You have to choose._ Something painful wrenched inside Kenshin at those words and that ugly feeling of guilt from before came back with full force. It was a ridiculous situation really – there was no need to choose anyone. Only one relationship was real, the other was just a front. In fact, the fake one would probably be ending pretty soon so Akira could go jump in a lake for all his evil aspirations for Tomoe.

And yet…something inside Kenshin rebelled fiercely at the thought of having to part ways with Kaoru. He found he liked the idea of not having Kaoru beside him as much as he liked the thought of other guys asking Tomoe out – which was not at all.

_You have to choose…_

It was at that moment that Aoshi came out of the house and joined them. "So let me ask you this Himura… Are you and Kaoru breaking up soon?"

"Whoa! I don't know where this question is leading Shinomori but I'm not staying around for the shit fan. Adios my new amigo, and it was really nice knowing you." After delivering that line, Akira got up and jogged towards Sanosuke. When he was gone, Aoshi repeated the question.

"You wish," Kenshin replied offhandedly, not really taking him seriously.

"Not me. Though I suspect a certain owner of a blue Porsche will certainly be rooting for it."

"What are you driving at Shinomori?" Kenshin was no longer amused. "All these vague hints and whatnot, if you have something to say–"

Kenshin didn't get to finish his question when, as if on cue, Enishi's car came into view before parking next to Kenshin's own Mustang. As if noticing only for the first time, Kenshin noted that Enishi's car was a dark-blue Porsche Boxter S. And then, Aoshi's words came back to him:

_'Will Enishi Yukishiro be coming to this game? I want to play against him. And if I may give you a friendly heads-up: You might want to do so too.'_

'_Let's just say he managed to do something that now has him leading by a hundred points. And considering it's already halftime, you don't have much opportunity left.'_

Kenshin quickly turned to Aoshi, and by his expression, the dark-haired boy knew that his companion had finally figured out his hints from earlier.

"What exactly…" Kenshin was struggling with a wild suspicion that turned his gut to ice. "–does Enishi have to do with Kaoru?"

"That's an excellent question. I'm quite curious myself."

"What's that supposed to mean? So you mean you were only speculating?" Kenshin's anger began to deflate, replaced by annoyance. _What was Aoshi getting at?_

"Oh I'm not speculating about Enishi's intention. What I'm only curious about is the part between Kaoru going to his house last night up to the moment before he took her home this morning. She was changed in a lot of ways after that, almost didn't recognize her myself."

"Kaoru went to the Yukishiro's? When? Why?" There were actually a lot more questions, but Kenshin forced himself to condense his inquiries to the only thing that was screaming foremost in his mind: "What do you mean 'last night' and 'this morning'? Are you saying–?"

"Shouldn't you be asking that to your friend instead?"

Kenshin turned away and marched towards Enishi, blood thumping loud and fast through his veins. Sano and Akira were talking to Enishi when Kenshin suddenly shoved the bigger man that sent him stumbling over a lawn décor in the shape of an angel. That wasn't what Kenshin had intended, but with his current frame of mind, he didn't particularly care at the moment if he caused any pain – intentional or not.

"Kenshin!" Akira shouted.

"What the hell man?" Sanosuke restrained his red-haired friend before he could get anywhere near Yukishiro.

"What's gotten into you?"

"If you're a true friend–" Kenshin was eerily calm, but his mind was clouded with so much anger that he could hardly breathe. "–You'll tell me the truth and you'll tell it now: Was Kaoru at your house last night?"

"Jesus man, why would Kamiya be–" Sanosuke was beginning to laugh the whole thing off when he got interrupted by a quiet reply.

"Yes."

Enishi didn't make any move to stand up. "I see," Kenshin replied in a low voice. He didn't react or made any move to get near Enishi again, but Sanosuke wasn't fooled. He had been friends with the redhead long enough to know how his temper could come so silently and yet explode so spectacularly. Sano would later thank himself for following his instinct when he heard the next words exchanged.

"And she slept at your house?"

"Yes."

"You offered the guest room or Tomoe's room then?"

"No."

"So where did she sleep?"

"In mine."

Akira's jaw dropped open quite comically while Sanosuke's grip around Kenshin tightened. From afar, Aoshi's expression offered no clue as to what he was really feeling. And despite the turbulent nature of Enishi's previous answer, Kenshin remained composed and asked his final question.

"You slept somewhere else then?"

"No."

And without having to hear the rest, Kenshin knew. Enishi stared back at him with the same familiar eyes that had always expressed gentleness and support for him before. There was none of that now in those turquoise orbs; instead, it was replaced by something that confirmed everything…guilt.

"Let go of me Sano," Kenshin told his friend in a soft whisper that belied his fury as his open palms slowly clenched tightly into fists.

"Look Kenshin, there must be a misunderstanding here," Sagara desperately tried to diffuse the tense situation.

"I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for everything. Tell him Enishi!"

The silver-haired boy slowly began to stand up. Without breaking eye contact from Kenshin, he responded gently, "She deserves more. She deserves to be happy. And she will never have any of those because you're completely wrong for her."

_It was like pulling the trigger._ Kenshin lost whatever fragile hold he had left of his emotions and lunged. Thankfully, Sanosuke was big enough to overcome him, but only just barely. Kenshin may be smaller, but he wasn't captain of the Kendo club and a champion martial-artist for nothing. "Enishi!" was Sano's strangled cry as he struggled to drag Kenshin away. "– The hell man! Are you crazy?"

"I was just offering her my friendship."

"Friendship?" Kenshin spat the words out sarcastically while still trying to break free from Sanosuke. "Funny. So you have to get naked just to be 'friendly' with my girlfriend?"

"She was with me because you couldn't be there for her."

"Shut up Enishi and get out of here!" Sanosuke was shouting just as Kenshin exploded at the same time, "What are you talking about? I'm always there for her! You lying–"

"So is that why she was out in the rain last night while my sister spent the whole night at your place?"

Everyone was sharing the same stunned looks after that bomb Enishi dropped on them. Aoshi had remained a passive observer up to this point but even he looked quite disturbed by the revelation. Breaking from his indifferent stance, he pinned his cold gaze on Kenshin before asking:

"Was Tomoe Yukishiro at your house early this morning Himura?"

When seconds stretched into minutes without a response, Akira violently threw away the bottle he didn't realize he was still holding before angrily marching away. Aoshi turned to look at Enishi before speaking, "I can see I was mistaken in choosing my team."

With that, Aoshi then left the group without a backward glance.

* * *

**xooOOOoox**

* * *

_Twilight._ Kenshin wasn't sure why he came back to this place…where a lot of his troubles had begun. As he sat there in the sand, a few feet from the surf, he watched the foamy waves billow and crash before him. Over and over, he watched as the waters from the sea started small and calm, then it slowly grew in size and strength until it practically towered above him, only to meet a crashing end before the waters could even reach his toes. It reminded him of how his whole situation with Kaoru played-out: insignificant but seemingly inevitable, and before he knew it, it had grown in intensity, only to come crashing down on him. He twisted his lips in an ironic smile.

_How long had it been since he brought Kaoru here?_ He could remember carrying her to the sea and being swallowed under the swelling waves, with them laughing at each other. It was a rare moment of peace and happiness for them considering what they had just went through previously. Then afterwards, they both watched a falling star as it streaked across the heavens._ Was he really so naïve back then to think that wishing on some hot ball of gas in space would give him the answers he wanted?_

He heard the footsteps behind him and he greeted the newcomer without looking, "You didn't have to follow me Sanosuke."

His chocolate-haired friend noisily dropped down beside him with a grin. "What? I come here to enjoy the beach, and instantly people will assume I'm just here for you?"

"You're called a lot of things my friend, but never 'Mr. Subtle'. So why not just get it over with? We both know why you're here."

Kenshin said those words dully but without malice. Sanosuke inhaled wearily, knowing his friend was right and there was no point in prevaricating. So with a noisy exhale, he got right into the nitty-gritty.

"So you and Tomoe, eh? I know she's the first girl you've ever dated seriously so I can understand if it's harder to move on than it seems."

Kenshin didn't speak.

"But man… Kaoru's a pretty decent chick too. And I know she's as into you as you are to her. So why did you have to go and–"

It was at this point that Kenshin hastily replied, albeit softly, "I guess we're just really good actors then."

"Huh?"

Kenshin hesitated for only a moment before deciding to finally confess everything to his good friend. He left no detail out and Sano's jaw was comically almost touching the ground by the time he finished with the words: "So none of those things were real. Matter of fact, we weren't even friends before that. Or passing acquaintances. Or even civil strangers. Kaoru hated me because I used to bully her when we were kids, no–!" he shook his head to correct himself. "–actually, just last month I drove my car through a puddle where she was walking nearby and splattered dirt all over her clothes. That's how messed-up everything is between us."

"So let me get this straight–" Sanosuke's brows were furrowed with deep concentration. "–You acted like a complete and total ass with her up until a month ago, sabotaged her chances for this play she wanted so much, got in between her and Aoshi who she confessed to you that she likes, and now you cheated on her while pretending to be her boyfriend? Did I get it all?"

Kenshin winced. Sanosuke made it sound like he had been the villain right from the start. His tone became slightly defensive as he responded, "Look, I was just being–"

"–An ass." Sanosuke was frowning at Kenshin. "I'm sorry man but you were, and actually, still are. What did the poor girl ever do to you for you to treat her like that? You're a terrible person for doing those things, do you know that? If I had heard this story from someone else, I would have called them a liar and beaten the shit out of them for badmouthing you. I mean, what the hell! This is not how I know you, man!"

Kenshin turned away from his friend to watch the rolling waves in front of them and felt like running towards it and drowning himself._ Sanosuke was right…_ Actually, Kenshin knew this all along but it took hearing it from his friend for him to fully acknowledge all the terrible things he had done to Kaoru in the past._ Oh god…how could she ever forgive him?_ The guilt was so thick in his lungs that he felt like he couldn't breathe._ There was no redeeming him…_

"And Tomoe, what about her?" Sano asked with Kenshin's back still turned on him. "I know you said that she's aware of the whole charade you and Kamiya have been playing. But it couldn't possibly be easy to watch her boyfriend acting 'in love' with some other girl, no matter how many times she was assured that it was all just 'pretend'. That's not fair for them both, and they're a couple of really nice girls."

There was a catch in Kenshin's voice and he could hardly be heard over the breeze as he said, "I know…"

"You have to choose, man."

"There's nothing to choose. I told you, Kaoru and I were just acting around."

"And they call me the dumb one," Sanosuke whispered to himself, annoyed. Then in a loud voice, he called out, "Well whatever it is that you and Kaoru have…going on…is none of my business anyway. Actually, if it was me in your position, I'd say keep them both. Solves everything."

Sano smiled when he managed to illicit a short laugh from his friend.

"Unfortunately for you, you're not me. Instead of just (A) hook up, or (B) screw around, you chose the non-option of (Z) get serious, and so, turned yourself into a magnet for unwanted soap drama. Piece of advice? Next time a nice and gorgeous girl like Tomoe and a smart and fascinating chick like Kaoru comes into your life, you better effing run the opposite way and never look back."

"You mean if I survive this for there to be a 'next time', right?"

Sanosuke got up on his feet and dusted the back of his jeans. He placed an encouraging hand on Kenshin's left shoulder with a grin, "Oh you'll survive man, though I don't know if with manhood intact, but I know you will. You always manage to survive every clusterfuck you find yourself into, and you know why? Because even though you suck in trying to be the exact opposite of me, you always have this one saving grace that never failed you before: you always do the right thing."

Sano squeezed Kenshin's shoulder for the last time before finally leaving him alone. Kenshin found it amazing that, despite Sanosuke being the least serious and the least sympathetic friend he had when it came to affairs concerning relationships, the man actually managed to cheer him up.

_You always do the right thing. _

Kenshin watched the roaring waves once more and finally decided to do exactly that.

Taking his mobile phone from his pants, he typed two very different messages intended for two very different people.

_"I'm sorry…for all the hurt I've caused."_

And…

_"I'm sorry…but I need to end this."_

After sending the two messages to their intended individual recipients, Kenshin fell back on the sand and stared silently into space. Slowly, the stars began to gather and light up the dimming skies, forming a glowing arc that made it seem like the heavens were smiling down on him. He smiled back.

_No more taking chances._ Like what his friend had told him, this time…_he was going to do the right thing._

* * *

**xooOOOoox**

* * *

Aoshi wasn't sure at first who the woman was that he found inside Kaoru's room. The girl was kneeling next to Kaoru's bed, her back to him, with silky ebony-black hair that fell in gorgeous curls and ringlets past her slender shoulders. She was wearing a white and violet sleeveless dress with a flared skirt that reached only the top of her knees. She was cradling a black shoe with a narrow three-inch heel in one hand, while her other hand seemed to be supporting her head as if in pain.

Aoshi made no sound at first to alert the girl of his presence; quite content to watch from the bedroom doorway once he realized that it was Kaoru. He heard her exhale softly in frustration before speaking, "Whoever invented stilettos, I hope he or she is happily roasting in hell. I'm never gonna be able to master this torture device."

"And I suggest you don't try. You're better off without them."

Kaoru stood up with a squeak. But when she saw it was Aoshi, she winced at being caught unprepared. He, on the other hand, was rendered speechless upon his first full sight of her.

The overly-prominent braces were gone, replaced by thin, unobtrusive retainers that showed what used to be unnoticeable before: a set of clean-looking, pearly-white teeth. Gone too were the thick, matronly glasses that she used to wear, and was replaced by a pair of colorless contacts that showed the cobalt eyes underneath that could be so fascinating. He also noted that Kaoru's skin: pallid, blemished and sickly-looking before, now glowed visibly with a healthy bloom – an obvious result of her whole afternoon at the spa with her mom. Even her outfit was chosen carefully to not draw attention to her stick-straight and shapeless figure. The white upper half of the dress was adorned with criss-crossing patterns that camouflaged her small chest while the violet-colored lower part of the dress, with the skirt flaring at the hips, hugged her narrow waist nicely while emphasizing a hip size that would otherwise be unnoticeable on other types of clothing.

_Kaoru looked the same and yet so different._ Aoshi couldn't form a single coherent thought in the midst of all these…stimuli. Suddenly, he didn't feel so comfortable being alone with her in her bedroom.

"I look silly, don't I? You can be honest," Kaoru said to him while chewing her bottom lip as the silence stretched on. When Aoshi still didn't speak, she started pacing the room while sighing heavily. "I knew it! I knew it! I don't even know why I've let my mom convince me to do all these things. I was perfectly content with just having my braces removed, you know. I didn't even want to get contacts because now my eyes itch like crazy and I can't stop blinking like I have some kind of eye epilepsy or something, even though the optometrist said it's a perfectly natural sensation on your first try. And I don't even know why I'm wearing this ridiculous outfit. It doesn't suit me at all, does it? I knew I'm too much of a broomstick to try pulling off 'sexy'. My skin hurts too with all that scrubbing, plucking and waxing. And you know what? I'm gonna go ahead and shoot myself because you still won't say anything and I feel like a hundred different kinds of stupid and moron for thinking that–"

In the midst of Kaoru's babbling, Aoshi snapped out of his daze and cracked a grin after hearing her irrational tirade._ Different and same._ He was glad that not everything was altered after all. She was still his friend: the same person who got drunk with him, called herself 'Aunt Kaoru' in her drunken delusion of being Oprah, and who urged him to confront his fears and kiss Sayo goodbye._ But most of all_…she was still the girl he imagined from earlier, the one whom he could visualize riding with him towards the sunset. But now,_ she was something a bit more…_

Truthfully? Aoshi found that he didn't mind some of the things that did change. He wasn't going to lie to himself and deny that he found her new look quite…_tempting_. With an amused grin, he walked up to her bed and sat on the edge of it before giving her a pointed look. She took the hint and sat down beside him with a heavy 'plop' and an exasperated sigh.

After a beat of silence, she nudged his shoulder and asked him, "May I?"

"Knock yourself out."

She let her head rest on his left shoulder, and for some reason, it just felt right.

"I'm sorry for leaving you earlier this morning… That was stupid and thoughtless of me."

"Yup."

"You didn't wait out for me in the rain…did you?"

"And why would I do that?"

She peeked up at him through her bangs to see if he was joking. When Kaoru only saw his usual lack of expression, she sighed, "Sorry. Stupid question."

"I mean," Aoshi continued, ignoring her comment. "I would have taken you home but it seemed to me you were perfectly content staying with Enishi Yukishiro…among other things…so who am I to get in between?"

"Oh… My… God…"

"Funny story. A silly but sweet girl was given this dare to confess her real feelings for a certain clueless redhead who I think she totally does not deserve, or else she'd lose her pants. But in a not-so-unique but just-as-surprising twist, she winded up in another guy's bed. Weird."

"You–" Kaoru was choking. "H-how did you know that–?"

"So now, I'm just waiting for how this particular story will end. Should be interesting, convoluted as it is."

Kaoru swallowed and looked away. In a teeny-tiny voice, she informed him in a dejected tone, "Well, the sweet but silly –and amazingly stupid if I may add– girl will certainly not be ending up with the clueless redhead, that's for sure."

"Why?"

"Because he's already has 'Miss Perfect'! And then they'll have a perfect life with perfect children and live happily, perfectly, ever-fucking-after. The end."

"Not really interested in –their– ending. But you know what I think will happen?" When Kaoru didn't look up, Aoshi cupped her chin and gently moved her face until their eyes met. "This sweet but silly girl – who is not stupid at all so don't call her that again– will be losing her pants in the very immediate future since she failed a dare, but then she'll move on with her life, albeit painfully at first, go on to achieve whatever dream she sets her mind to because I know, and she knows, that she can, while overcoming her fear of motorcycles –no, scratch that, she won't be afraid of only MY bike; she can go batshit insane over the others for all I care– and then live happily ever-fucking-after. The end."

Slowly, a beautiful smile began to spread across her lips and the effect on Aoshi was both startling and instantaneous. For a moment, Aoshi saw in her the stunning seven-year-old girl from the picture on the mantelpiece: all sweetness, innocence and charm. He was struck with how wonderful she seemed with just that one simple smile; her new hair and clothes could never hope to achieve this kind of glow. She could be wearing moss and seaweed and that smile alone would still leave him breathless.

"You really believe that?"

"Yup."

"You really think I can achieve anything?"

"As long as it doesn't defy the laws of physics."

"And about me riding a motorcycle?"

"Even if my ears bleed with your screaming."

"And that part about my pants?"

"Inevitable. So I suggest that you give up peacefully because there will be no stopping that."

She laughed sweetly, stunning him again for a few seconds, before she finally settled down to the familiar quiet from earlier. Aoshi's hands itched to tuck the stray strand of hair that fluttered lightly in front of her face. Instead, he thought of something else and asked: "May I?" To which, she teasingly replied, "Knock yourself out."

His hand slipped between them to grasp her own palm before encasing it in a warm, comfortable grip. Kaoru, following his lead, returned her head on his shoulders and leaned against him with a contented look.

"You know…" Kaoru began. "It might take a long time before any of those things come true. How would you know that's how the story will really end then?"

"Then I guess I'll just have to stick around until it happens."

"Even if it takes…maybe forever?"

"I'd like to see someone try to get rid of me."

"I guess I can have my mom adopt you. Get you in the family. Especially since you've been with us long enough that some of the neighbors actually think that you are. Do you mind if I tell them you're my long lost first cousin twice removed from the royal side of my mother's family who lives in Estonia or Paraguay or Greece or somewhere? That should be fun."

"Or you can marry me. That way, _when_ we do something not so…proper…we don't have to worry about the men in blue and the guys in lab coats barging through our business. Besides, adoption is way too much trouble and not half as fun."

'_When'_ not _'If'_. Kaoru just laughed though, not taking him seriously at all._ So is this how it's like to have a close guy friend?_ It was all new and very refreshing for her. And marriage to Aoshi didn't sound so bad either. To be married to your best friend would definitely give the term 'Best Friends Forever' a new slant. Or perhaps marriage was only legalizing it, since BFF's were supposed to be with you for the rest of your life after all, minus the 'raising-a-family' part.

"Sure, we can do that. When we're both thirty, and we're not sick of each other yet, and if we have no other options…why not?"

"So you're in?" Aoshi cocked an eyebrow down on her. She answered by rolling her eyes and telling him playfully,

"Sure. And since we seem to be playing some kind of 'Let's-enact-every-romantic-movie-cliché-in-the-book' game, next thing you'll tell me is that this is the part where we have to seal it with a kiss, am I right?"

Aoshi's eyes dropped to her lips and the laughter got stuck in her throat. Before they could both think about it too much, his hands grasped her face before sealing his lips hungrily over hers. She, on the other hand, clutched the hem of his shirt for support. But just as the all-too-familiar sparks began to burst in Kaoru's belly, it was all over, and Aoshi was setting her away gently.

"You have a deal."

Aoshi got up from the bed and walked towards her door. But before exiting the room, he gave her a cheeky grin before telling her, "And wear pants next time. Can't really do your penalty with a dress, unless you want to take off all your clothes and get fully naked. Not that I'm complaining."

Kaoru's eyes widened but Aoshi was already gone before she could come up with anything to say. Just as well, he could have stood there for hours and she still wouldn't know how to respond to that stunt he just pulled.

Oh-kay…_ So maybe having a really –hot– guy friend might be a bit more complicated than she thought…_

After a while, Kaoru lied back on her bed and stared at the ceiling, deciding not to give Aoshi's actions too much meaning. Just as she was drifting off to dreamland, the mobile phone on her bedside table started vibrating. A part of her didn't want to reach for the phone, but the desire to check if it was Kenshin was just too big and too strong to resist. So before she could fret over the matter too much, she finally snatched the cellphone and flipped it open.

After reading the message, Kaoru pressed her palm against her lips and closed her eyes to prevent the tears from falling.

She failed.

* * *

**xooOOOoox**

* * *

Tomoe didn't tear her eyes away from the photo album that she was looking even when she heard the message alert tone from her phone which was lying a few feet from her head. She was lazing around, outstretched on the pink, carpeted floor of her bedroom while idly flipping through the pages of all the memories she made for the past eighteen years of her life. She felt a pang in her heart whenever she'd encounter pictures of her with her best friend Kaoru; most of them when they were fourteen or younger. In contrast, she skipped the pages that held Kenshin's photographs.

After five minutes, she got up to go to the bathroom. But before she could do that, the lightened screen of her mobile phone reminded her of the unread text message. After reading the text, she cupped her fingers to prevent the sob that threatened to spill from her lips.

She failed.

* * *

_to be continued..._

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Sooo…I honestly don't know what to say at the moment. Angst much? It seems a lot of people are rooting for Enishi or Aoshi instead of Kenshin and I don't really blame them. Our hero needs a make-over himself and you'll be seeing that too with the coming chapters. Hope you guys won't be disappointed by what I've got planned. Five chapters left remaining, and I'll be able to post the next chapter by next week I'm pretty sure of it. So wish me luck!

Oh btw, I'll be replying to reviewers through FanfictionDOTNet's reply system. So you guys(!) I really urge all of you to log-in (or if you're too lazy, at least indicate your real account name) so I can all thank y'all properly and sufficiently for being such a cool, lovable bunch.

UP NEXT: The 'Big Moment' and a return to Kaoru's 1st person POV. (I've decided to just alternate the POV's to be used. Hope that's okay with you guys.). Also, onwards to that damn play already! Lol.

So again, thanks guys for reading! Mucho love to all of you! :)


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